The Clark County Budget and Finance Committee talked with three members of the Clark County Fair Board Friday in the courthouse conference room about the county’s contract to prepare meals for prisoners at the Arts and Crafts Building on the fairgrounds.
The Quorum Court entered into an agreement with the Fair Board in late 2008 after Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia could no longer prepare meals for county prisoners. The county pays the board $1,700 per month for the use of the kitchen, where Tiger Foods prepares three meals per day for prisoners. When negotiating the contract last December, it was agreed that the two boards would meet again after a year to consider adjusting the price of the lease if the county’s expenses were higher than what were figured during the negotiation.
Ray Smith, president of the Fair Board, told the committee Friday that, since the contract began, the average monthly expenses at the building has increased by $1,500 per month.
Members of the budget committee raised a question regarding who else uses the building, since the contract spelled out that the county would only pay for expenses incurred by the county. County Judge Ron Daniell asked the board how many organizations other than the county use the building for special events. He noted that, every time he drives by the building, there is an event going on — but it isn’t Tiger Foods.
Smith said the building has been rented to 11 organizations since March including, but not limited to, Log-A-Load, Red Cross, Humane Society Clark County and several churches. The Fair Board charges each organization $100 per day for the use of the building. The expenses incurred by the renting organizations, Smith said, are covered by the $100 fee.
The contract spells out that the board is to make a $300 profit each month from the county for the use of the building, but that it has only been getting about $171 profit per month.
Members of the budget committee noted that the expensive start-up costs of getting the jail kitchen ready for use was to blame, but Smith thought otherwise. Under the contract, the sheriff’s office is only to use the part of the building where the kitchen is located. They can also use the bathroom, which is in the part of the building not adjacent to the kitchen, therefore forcing them to walk down a hall through the main building. The front part of the building is to be completely off limits to Tiger Foods and the sheriff’s office, and the county is only to pay for additional utility costs incurred by the use of the kitchen. Smith said the energy bill has increased more than the amount originally budgeted. He said he has gone into the building at night when all the lights were left on and the air conditioner was left running “wide open” at 60 degrees. Other problems the board discussed was the additional expense of two telephone lines for Tiger Foods, plumbing problems and a recent microwave fire which damaged a countertop in the kitchen. The contract states that the building is supposed to be left in the same condition it was in before the contract.
Justice Mac Neel, budget committee member, said the board and the budget committee should “pull together as a team” and address the problems. “The sheriff’s office needs to address” the problems with those using the kitchen, he said.
One thing discussed was how to prevent people from adjusting the thermostat in the front of the building. Either a “Do Not Touch” note or a lock box over the thermostat could be placed, noted Justice Frances McGill. Regarding the lock box idea, Smith said, “It shouldn’t have to come to this.”
Budget committee members said the last person to leave the building, whether it be a jailer or the Tiger Foods supervisor, should be responsible for turning off the lights and making sure the air conditioner is off.
There was also much discussion about the phone bill. Tiger Foods needed the phone line to make a weekly call to order food and fax daily reports. The county currently pays the phone bill, which averages between $60 and $100 per month. Budget committee members McGill and Albert Neal agreed that Tiger Foods should be responsible for the phone bill rather than the county.
“We’re doing everything like we did in past years,” Smith said of the fair board’s use of the building. The contract is “not working to our favor” because of the “added headache” and expenses from the use of the kitchen.
McGill noted the cost of each meal prepared — $1.94 for each meal — is more expensive after adding in all the additional expenses. Having a monthly audit or a hearing a quarterly report from the fair board regarding the kitchen expenses were two options discussed by the group, but no decision was made. “Once we address these issues (with the sheriff’s office and Tiger Foods), these costs should come down,” said one member of the fair board. Neal said, “Once we work out these issues, then we can proceed” with the contract.
In other business, the committee voted to pay “about $61,000” in two months’ bills for the sheriff’s office for the months of September and October. The decision will be submitted to the full court for its approval.
The full court will meet today in the district courtroom at 7 p.m. to consider approving two ordinances related to the county jail. The public is invited.
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The Clark County Budget and Finance Committee talked with three members of the Clark County Fair Board Friday in the courthouse conference room about the county’s contract to prepare meals for prisoners at the Arts and Crafts Building on the fairgrounds.
The Quorum Court entered into an agreement with the Fair Board in late 2008 after Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia could no longer prepare meals for county prisoners. The county pays the board $1,700 per month for the use of the kitchen, where Tiger Foods prepares three meals per day for prisoners. When negotiating the contract last December, it was agreed that the two boards would meet again after a year to consider adjusting the price of the lease if the county’s expenses were higher than what were figured during the negotiation.
Ray Smith, president of the Fair Board, told the committee Friday that, since the contract began, the average monthly expenses at the building has increased by $1,500 per month.
Members of the budget committee raised a question regarding who else uses the building, since the contract spelled out that the county would only pay for expenses incurred by the county. County Judge Ron Daniell asked the board how many organizations other than the county use the building for special events. He noted that, every time he drives by the building, there is an event going on — but it isn’t Tiger Foods.
Smith said the building has been rented to 11 organizations since March including, but not limited to, Log-A-Load, Red Cross, Humane Society Clark County and several churches. The Fair Board charges each organization $100 per day for the use of the building. The expenses incurred by the renting organizations, Smith said, are covered by the $100 fee.
The contract spells out that the board is to make a $300 profit each month from the county for the use of the building, but that it has only been getting about $171 profit per month.
Members of the budget committee noted that the expensive start-up costs of getting the jail kitchen ready for use was to blame, but Smith thought otherwise. Under the contract, the sheriff’s office is only to use the part of the building where the kitchen is located. They can also use the bathroom, which is in the part of the building not adjacent to the kitchen, therefore forcing them to walk down a hall through the main building. The front part of the building is to be completely off limits to Tiger Foods and the sheriff’s office, and the county is only to pay for additional utility costs incurred by the use of the kitchen. Smith said the energy bill has increased more than the amount originally budgeted. He said he has gone into the building at night when all the lights were left on and the air conditioner was left running “wide open” at 60 degrees. Other problems the board discussed was the additional expense of two telephone lines for Tiger Foods, plumbing problems and a recent microwave fire which damaged a countertop in the kitchen. The contract states that the building is supposed to be left in the same condition it was in before the contract.
Justice Mac Neel, budget committee member, said the board and the budget committee should “pull together as a team” and address the problems. “The sheriff’s office needs to address” the problems with those using the kitchen, he said.
One thing discussed was how to prevent people from adjusting the thermostat in the front of the building. Either a “Do Not Touch” note or a lock box over the thermostat could be placed, noted Justice Frances McGill. Regarding the lock box idea, Smith said, “It shouldn’t have to come to this.”
Budget committee members said the last person to leave the building, whether it be a jailer or the Tiger Foods supervisor, should be responsible for turning off the lights and making sure the air conditioner is off.
There was also much discussion about the phone bill. Tiger Foods needed the phone line to make a weekly call to order food and fax daily reports. The county currently pays the phone bill, which averages between $60 and $100 per month. Budget committee members McGill and Albert Neal agreed that Tiger Foods should be responsible for the phone bill rather than the county.
“We’re doing everything like we did in past years,” Smith said of the fair board’s use of the building. The contract is “not working to our favor” because of the “added headache” and expenses from the use of the kitchen.
McGill noted the cost of each meal prepared — $1.94 for each meal — is more expensive after adding in all the additional expenses. Having a monthly audit or a hearing a quarterly report from the fair board regarding the kitchen expenses were two options discussed by the group, but no decision was made. “Once we address these issues (with the sheriff’s office and Tiger Foods), these costs should come down,” said one member of the fair board. Neal said, “Once we work out these issues, then we can proceed” with the contract.
In other business, the committee voted to pay “about $61,000” in two months’ bills for the sheriff’s office for the months of September and October. The decision will be submitted to the full court for its approval.
The full court will meet today in the district courtroom at 7 p.m. to consider approving two ordinances related to the county jail. The public is invited.
