Bartholomew Jail to hire company to run kitchen

The Bartholomew County Jail will be turning over the feeding of inmates to an outside company.

According to the proposal by the sheriff’s department outsourcing the work will allow the county to save money, to solve employment issues and to ensure the quality of the meals.

Major Brandon Slate with the sheriff’s department said that there were two bids for the contract, and recommended approving a bid with Trinity Services Group out of Florida. He said the price per meal per inmate was comparable with the competing bid. However the Trinity proposal would provide a better compensation package for the workers in the jail kitchen. Under the contract the existing county employees would be transitioned to the new company and retained when the contract goes into effect.

The proposal by Trinity would include a premium meal option, where inmates with the funds can purchase cheeseburgers, chips and salsa or similar items in addition to their regular meals.

Slate said it is hard to get an exact figure due to variables, but he expected the contract would save the county $50,000 a year under current jail population levels.

The county commissioners approved the plan this week. The new plan would go into effect in four to six weeks.

Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.