WALTHALL — The Webster County Sheriff’s Department should see a substantial cost savings after receiving the go-ahead to contract for prisoner meals.
Sheriff David Gore told the Board of Supervisors on April 6 that the sheriff’s office had worked on lowering food costs but was still seeing waste. Gore requested permission to start an account with food service distributor Sysco Corp. to provide meals for inmates. The county receiving clerk has been buying groceries locally for meal preparation at the jail.
Gore pointed out that nearly every county around is already contracting with Sysco, which delivers the prepackaged meals. He said they meet all caloric requirements and are “heat and eat” for the most part. Gore also said the jail has sufficient freezer capacity to store them.
“I’m doing all I can do without remodeling the kitchen,” Gore said.
The current grand jury, after inspecting county buildings in January, said the jail’s kitchen needed replacing and cited cleanliness issues.
Gore provided supervisors with copies of monthly costs for prisoner meals provided by Sysco at the Shelby County Jail in Memphis, Tenn., which he said would be the same costs for the Webster County Jail.
The document shows an average daily meal cost per prisoner of about $4.04, or $21,816 per year for 15 prisoners. Based upon the $35,000 the Sheriff’s Department has budgeted for food costs this fiscal year, this would mean an estimated savings of $13,184 per year. Gore said the jail had nine prisoners at that time and usually averages 12-13, with the only times it has more being during the two Circuit Court terms.
“I do realize … the system we’ve had (buying food from local grocery stores), and I understand all about that, but I’m willing to take any sort of heat it is if you decide to do this,” the sheriff told the board.
Supervisors agreed that changing to contracted meals would make a large difference in food costs and none voiced opposition to the proposal.
“I’m good with it,” said Randy Rico (District 3).
Gore said he wanted to set up an account this month to begin realizing savings. The board determined that no vote was required to change to contracted meals and board President Pat Cummings told Gore to have Purchase Clerk Kay Embry set up an account with Sysco.
In March 2019, then-Acting Sheriff Andy McCants also proposed that the WCSD contract with Sysco for inmate meals. McCants, who also projected a significant cost savings, asked the board to let him try this for six months in an attempt to bring food costs down.
Paul Crowley, vice president of the board, said then that he felt the county should support local families who are in the grocery business and subsequently made a motion for the process to remain as is. However, Cummings said no motion was necessary if no change was going to be made and the discussion ended.
