MACHIAS, Maine — Washington County hopes to save $30,000 a year by privatizing the process of feeding residents of the county’s jail.
The county’s Board of Commissioners on Thursday authorized a plan to hand over the jail’s kitchen to Aramark, which on a national basis serves 1 million meals a day to prison and jail inmates, including those in jails in Kennebec and York counties in Maine.
Operating the Washington County Jail remains the county’s highest annual expense, at $2 million a year. At a presentation Thursday, Aramark representatives said they could reduce the cost-per-meal from $4.68 to $3.99.
“It’s long been the belief of this Board of Commissioners that every time we can hand something off to private industry, they can do it more efficiently,” said Chris Gardner, board chairman. “This is a good example of that.”
Aramark officials said they expect to assume kitchen duties at the Machias jailhouse within 90 days.
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if people would stop committing crimes the jails wouldnt be so full.
so rapers, murderers, drug dealers, assaulters should not be in jail?
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If a drug dealer sells drugs to your children would you consider that non violent? Would you want them still on the street turning more children on to drugs?
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So if you do nothing to them then crime will pay
No matter what crime is commited people want them put in jail
30K, that would buy a lot of bologna sandwichs…… That is what they should get for lunch and suppah…..Oatmeal for breakfast.
And no coffee! Feed em like sheriff Joe does. Day old bread and bologna that’s ready to expire.If they want better meals,don’t break the law.
That too…….
They haven’t served coffee at WCJ for quite a few years.
I’m sure they could have made a better deal with “Country Kitchen”. Bread just prior to turning green and water from a rain barrel is sufficient!
Then as soon as some gets sick a multi million dollar diut
yeah , and probably have to pay for a sex-change operation , to boot.
This is just turning jobs that paid a living wage at the jail into minimum wage jobs working for Aramark. Let’s take it out of the working man’s hide, again. Anyone have any ideas on how to trim budgets that DOESN’T involve a working stiff getting stabbed in the back?
As a taxpayer in Washington County Thank you Commissioners! A person is paid what the job is worth in the private sector, unlike the public sector where toll booth collectors who are less skilled than your average teen age cashier at the corner store make 40k+ with bennies. NO Thank you Good job Guys!
really? this wont make a big dent in the budget. aramark has alot of complaints on their service, sometimes privatization isnt the right way.
Idea : Dollar Menu from McDonalds.
Yes, in our race to the bottom, there are those who want to step on the gas. Everyone, regardless of their skills, should be making minimum wage in your ideal world. Especially if it is your precious tax dollars. I hope that you do not mind your precious tax dollars being used by Aramark’s employees for food stamps, heat assistance, and “free” medical care down at the ER. You end up supporting the people who work at the jail, one way or the other as a tax payer. Now, you are going to support Aramark’s profit as well.
” Washington County hopes to save $30,000 a year by privatizing the process of feeding residents of the county’s jail.”
Expect to hear more about this wonderful saving in a year or so.
The humble Farmer