SMETHPORT – The success of the new roadside produce stand at the
McKean County Prison was discussed at the Prison Board meeting
Friday morning.

Warden Tim Woodruff explained the stand raised about $50 in the
first three days since the stand opened on Monday.

“Aside from the nominal benefits, it has been a pleasure
observing the pride and ownership that the garden participants have
developed,” Woodruff said.

All proceeds from the stand will be used to fund inmate program
materials and supplies.

The produce sold at the stand is from the inmate garden. About
10 inmates, both male and female, have been involved in the garden
and the stand.

“The garden’s a real hit,” Woodruff said. “There’s room for
expansion. It is run 100 percent by inmates under a
supervisor.”

It was mentioned to Woodruff that expanding to the care of
livestock may provide therapeutic effects for the inmates.

In another topic, County Administrator Dick Casey updated the
board on the status of about 15 firearms purchased through the
federal surplus program in 2001.

During an April meeting, Sheriff Brad Mason brought to the
attention of the board the issue with the firearms, purchased by
former sheriff Donald Morey. At the time, there were deputies that
were supervisors at the prison, and Morey and former warden Dennis
Luther apparently agreed to allow six of the firearms to remain at
the prison, where they currently remain in storage.

Mason had said under the federal surplus program, the weapons
are the Sheriff’s Office’s responsibility and are to be used in a
specific way.

At the meeting Friday, Casey said he learned that the weapons
can be used by the prison exclusively through an application
process. He said Woodruff filled out the application and they’re
waiting for a response. He said all the weapons, including the ones
at the courthouse, can return to the prison if the application goes
through.

“Now, we’ll have to see how many are down there and if there’s
enough for the correction officers,” Casey said.

Woodruff had pointed out in the April meeting that they lost an
arbitration and needed to provide every correctional officer at the
prison with a weapon in case of riots or an escaped inmate. If the
prison gains exclusive access to the surplus weapons, there will be
less weapons they will have to purchase in order to arm every
correctional officer.

Also, Woodruff said an “employee of the month” program was
started where each employee nominates a fellow employee. The
employee with the most nominations is awarded a certificate that is
displayed in the staff break room for a month, and then placed in
the employee’s personnel file. The employee also receives a gift
certificate for a meal at a local eatery.

“I was hoping this would give them some incentive,” Woodruff
said. “I wondered if they’d take it seriously, but the person they
nominated was someone I would have nominated myself.”

The employee of the month for June was the record’s clerk, Barb
Peterson.

Woodruff also announced a number of facility upgrades. In the
process of being installed are a security systems upgrade, which
should be completed by the end of next week, and a computerized
time-clock for use within a week.

The razor wire has also been relocated to the outside walls of
the recreation areas, and funds from the inmate Commissary Account
was used to order basketball hoops for these areas.

Since the last meeting, Woodruff reported the Court has granted
“good time release” to four additional inmates. The release program
provides up to five days a month of time off the sentence of an
inmate with good behavior for participation in programs.

It was also reported that one shift supervisor’s employment was
terminated and one part-time correctional officer retired this
month. Three new part-time correctional officers were hired to fill
the vacancies.

In another topic, Friday’s inmate count was 70, including five
work release inmates on G.P.S. monitors. This is down from the
average count of 73 in May. In addition to that number, there is
one house arrest inmate being monitored for a period of 30
days.

The next prison board meeting was tentatively scheduled for Aug.
11.