SMETHPORT – The McKean County Prison should have a new warden by
the end of the month, Prison Board Chairman Cliff Lane said
Friday.
Prison Board members were informed by county Human Resources
Director Michele Alfieri that there are six applicants for the
position, and was directed to rank those according to
qualifications, with the top three to be called for interviews.
Lane and present Warden Dennis Luther, who were named along with
Alfieri as part of the search committee, will assist in the
process.
In other matters, Luther gave his monthly report on the prison,
noting that the average daily census was a relatively low 71
inmates, still two above the rated maximum.
The warden told the board that specifications are being drawn
for 32 color television cameras and two 16 channel recorders that
will be installed at the facility to strengthen security.
Also in the works is the relocation of the laundry into the
former commissary area, with the food service area moving to the
present laundry, and the commissary going to a glass-enclosed room
near the entrance lobby. The effect of those shifts will be to
provide more space for inmate programs.
The warden reported that anger management and parenting classes
are now be offered to inmates, and that an inmate handbook with the
rules of the prison and other information had been completed.
The Adult Basic Education/Life Skills instructor resigned for
personal reasons, the warden noted, and has been replaced with a
master’s level teacher chosen from 17 applicants.
Refresher training for the staff in the use of force, suicide
prevention and the dispensing of medications was completed last
week, and newly appointed shift supervisors will receive 40 hours
of training offered by the Department of Corrections in March and
April.
Deputy Warden Tim Woodruff told the board that GPS monitoring of
six work release prisoners had performed better than expected, and
showed a plotting of where one prisoner apparently took a short
side trip on his way to his assigned job.
No “extraordinary occurrences” were reported during the
month.
The board agreed to having the Sheriff’s Department leave one of
its vehicles at the prison each night, so it can be used by a
correctional officer to transport an inmate for medical or other
reasons, if necessary. Presently, the prison has to call out a
sheriff’s deputy for such transports.
County administrator Dick Casey said that a number of other
counties he had checked with used that method.
Performance evaluations have been completed for all staff,
Luther reported, noting that the evaluations were the first ever
done there.
