Since the Bladen County Correctional Center closed in late 2013 because of state budget cuts, the county and towns have been looking for ways to get work done that once was done by inmates.
The Bladenboro Board of Commissioners discussed the issue Monday night at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting after Town Administrator Melanie Hester said that Bladen County Manager Greg Martin was studying ways to get inmates from Tabor Correctional Institution in Columbus County.
Bladenboro had been using four inmates from Bladen County Correctional Center at a cost of “about $900 to $1,000 per year,” Hester said. Under a current proposal, each inmate would cost the town about $2,500 per year because of transportation costs, Hester said.
Hester suggested using two inmates, which would cost $5,000 per year, if the town wanted to resume the inmate work program, which, she said, would be less expensive than hiring two part-time employees.
Mayor Rufus Duckworth asked Public Works Director Andy Coleman how much oversight was required of the inmates. Coleman told the board there were restrictions on the inmates, such as not being able to be left unattended, unable to drive a vehicle, or unable to use a riding lawn mower, although an inmate could use a push mower and operate a weedeater.
“If I was going to do anything, I would recommend hiring a part-time person from about the first of April until October or November,” Coleman said. He pointed out that a part-time worker could do some of the tasks that inmates cannot, and a part-time worker could be left unattended.
Duckworth asked about the cost of hiring a part-time employee for six months of the year. Hester said she would have to work out the financial details.
The board decided not to participate in the inmate labor program at this point and would study other ways to fill the workload.
In other business, the board
** Approved advertisement of 2014 tax liens for March 24.
** Amended usage rules for the new Community Building. The rules now read that non-profits may use the facility Tuesdays through Thursdays after 3 p.m. at no charge up to 12 times per year, and non-profits may use the facility Fridays through Sundays at half price up to four times per year. Elected and appointed town officials and town employees may use the facility twice per year at no charge. The normal rate for use of the facility is $100.
** Tabled discussion about repair work for the fire station annex located on N.C. 131 until more information is gathered.
** Chose to go with Logics Software Company as off-site host for its Internet server and computer upgrades for $10,055. The town’s current on-site server will soon be outdated. The cost to replace it with an on-site server and computer upgrades would have cost $24,555.
** Heard from Dawson Singletary about long-standing drainage issues involving the Bryant Swamp Watershed Corp. and property Singletary owns.
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