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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, May 19, 2017

NorCo Council Approves $6 MM Food Service Contract at Jail

Corrections Director Dan Keen
In a unanimous vote during their May 18 meeting, Northampton County Council approved a new, $6 million food service contract at the jail with GD Correctional Services. The contract is for a period of three years, with two one-year extensions. GD, the food service at nine other penal institutions, was selected as the low bidder among four firms submitting proposals.

Though $6 million is a lot of money, Corrections Director Dan Keen told Council that it comes down to $1.30 per meal per inmate. That's less money than the $1.42 per meal currently being paid and is less than the $1.40 proposed by the next highest proposal. It's also a 2,900-calorie diet, an increase over the current 2,500.

Keen said GD has a "good meal selection," and added it is "very important to have a good meal for the inmates."  He told me after the meeting that nutritionists will prepare diets for people like me, who have food allergies.

"How are the deserts?" wondered Fiscal Affairs Director Jim Hunter. Keen offered to take both of us on a tour, but I turned him down,knowing it was just a trick to get me down there so they could throw me in the hole and force feed me food loaf.

Keen admitted that there is food loaf, but it is only given to inmates who are disciplinary problems.

In other business, Council unanimously approved seven open space grants for projects at municipal parks Matt Dietz and his open space committee reviewed each request and recommended approval.      

Bushkill Tp - $45,256 for a stone trail around a fishing pond at Heintzelman Park, located along West Beil Avenue and High Street. The grant also includes a parking facility, landscaping, signage and other park amenities.

Roseto - $14,435.89 for the rehabilitation of Roseto Park. This includes the relacement of park benches and a concrete walkway.

Tatamy - $20,202.53 for the construction and extension of Tatamy Trail, including a pavilion,picnic tables, benches and landscaping.

Bangor - $21,884.54 for the opening of a road access to Market Street from Eisenhart Blvd at Memorial Park.

Washington Tp - $58,221.09 for improvements at Washington Tp Recreation Complex that include a dog park and a disc golf course.

Bethlehem Tp - $86,779.50 to replace the playground at Comer Park, including safety surfacing around the playground.

Palmer Tp.- $347,473.42 for natural sod athletic field at the Chrin Community Center, together with parking sidewalks and a new western entrance.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tens of thousands of dollars of County taxpayers money going to rich aflluent communities like Palmer and Bethlehem Township to put up playground monkeybars. Really? That money could not be better directed to the small Boroughs or places not bursting at the seems with growth and development?

Anonymous said...

November 2016:
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has put an end to its criticized “food loaf” policy, a form of punishment for misbehaving prisoners, where their meals are stirred into one unappetizing mass, baked into a crusty brick, and served cold in a wax wrapper.

According to PennLive.com, the Department of Corrections ended the “food loaf” policy in an effort to “humanize” how the most dangerous and quarrelsome prisoners are treated, the department’s executive deputy secretary, Shirley Moore Smeal, said.

Anonymous said...

In house meals at the government center should be supplied through this contract. Then Amy can order food loaf for those who do not agree with her

Anonymous said...

Tatamy project is the only one that should be approved. Most others are maintenance issues that should be responsibility of local government not county. Some of the money could have been transferred to pay for Lehigh Township booking station

Anonymous said...

@6:48 that's one of the best comments I've read on here in a long time. I spit my coffee out laughing while I read it.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Some of the money could have been transferred to pay for Lehigh Township booking station"

I was unaware that a central booking station is open space.

Anonymous said...

I from the govment and I'm here to help dish out the appitizing food loaf that is not only appitiZing to the eyez it also taste like home cooked comfort foodz!
Some of thoze that political pander this here deal should be force to at least consume one brick per agent. That one also had me rolling on the floor foaming at the mouth when I redd it, Bernie. That has had to have been a comment from one of your many secret agents too.

Anonymous said...

These latest blog entries are pretty lame. Where's the meat?

Anonymous said...

Bernie is running out of steam.

Anonymous said...

Roseto needs the money..dog park money to Wash. Twsp. also well spent. Access road in side Bangor park is not needed at all.
Cul-de-sac was created to get cars out of park..now they want cars again. Bad idea.

Peter J.Cochran said...

Bernie ,2,900 calories per meal is a lot for non -working ,meaning heavy work like a farmer taking hay or straw in -Infantry platoons on the role,and marathon runners .Now times this by 3 wow they will be fat. Basic rule-- I do realize are a bit restrictive -of 10 calories per pound of ideal weight based on surgeon general's height to weight guide-sex ,age and height -for physically complacent .but it is an ideal guide because every thing consumed in daily intake is counted --So If your done growing and at age 30 and to weigh in at 180 lbs then anything over 1,800 for the day -YOU GET FAT. Look around .I'm over too by 20.

Anonymous said...

OT here, but in regards to the NBC10 investigative reporting on Legislators taking contributions from their landlords, it appears Sen Pat Browne is one that has a very expensive office and has receive substantial increase in contribution from his landlord. Browne claims there was no other space in Allentown. Why did Browne move out of his former location then a for lease sign went up? What was the cost of his lease before the move and what is it now? Is the per foot rate that Browne is paying and is substantially more than other space in downtown? What is the per foot lease rate given to other businesses in the NIZ vs what the PA taxpayer is paying for Browne's space? Just a few basic questions before conclusions can be drawn

Patriot2 said...

Excellent question by 8:18 as Browne is slimy in his dealings with the biggest NIZ beneficiary.

Anonymous said...

@ 5:25 Mr Cochran , I believe the 2900 is per day. 2900 per meal would be in the Michael Phelps Olympic athlete range of calories.

Peter J.Cochran said...

i think so too now 5 ;25 ` ya ya thats a day intake is logical .