SMETHPORT – Friday’s meeting of the McKean County Prison Board
failed to draw a quorum, but those present heard new warden Tim
Woodruff give a detailed report on current operations.
Woodruff told the board that while one shift supervisor had
resigned to take a position at the State Correctional Institution
at Forest, that position and another have been filled with two
“highly qualified candidates,” Julia Day and Lawrence Benson.
Day was an officer with St. Marys City Police for 13 years and
had served since January as an advocate at the Victim’s Resource
Center in Bradford. She is also an Emergency Medical Technician
with various other certifications.
Benson, a New York State Trooper for 23 years, has a bachelor’s
degree in criminal justice. In his former position, he was a bomb
technician, firearms and street survival instructor and a K-9
handler.
One full-time correctional officer was terminated in the past
month, the report said, and there are currently 15 full-time and
seven part-time officers, plus four shift supervisors.
Woodruff also reported that LPN Randall Andreano, hired last
month, is working with the staff to develop more efficient methods
for medication passes and inmate care.
Along those lines, the warden said that he, Andreano and other
staff members will visit Clarion County Prison later this month to
observe the medication preparation and passing procedures
there.
He also noted that the new programs room is completed and awaits
only a security door and camera before it is put into use. Programs
now in effect include Life Skills, Anger Management, G.E.D.,
Parenting and Alcoholics Anonymous, with the AA group up to 15 or
20 attendees weekly. He said, “program participation continues to
be exceptional.”
Woodruff reported that McKean County Court had endorsed a
proposal to provide up to five days a month of “good time,” time
off an inmate’s sentence, for participation in programs.
The good-time policy will be available only for those
incarcerated for certain offenses; Woodruff did not specify what
they were.
While most of the warden’s report was positive, he also told the
board that the first “extraordinary occurrence” report of the year
had been filed with the state Department of Corrections after an
incident involving an inmate on inmate assault with injuries. State
police investigated the incident and charges are pending against
the perpetrator.
Correctional Officer Deb Morlock and Maintenance Supervisor Rob
VanGorder were officially commended for exceptional service during
the meeting.
The daily average inmate count in April was 73, down from 78 in
March. The prison’s certified capacity is 69.
