The Schuylkill County Prison Board filled in three vacancies at the prison during a meeting Wednesday.
After a recommendation from County Sheriff Joseph Groody, the board unanimously voted to promote Brian P. Rice from a corrections officer to the rank of lieutenant to fill the new position created in January. Christian John Moyer was hired to fill the corrections officer position left vacant with the promotion. Justin Scott Bedford was hired to fill an additional vacant corrections officer position.
The staff adjustments will go into effect next week and there will be no more remaining vacancies at the prison.
The board created the lieutenant position as well as several part-time corrections officer positions to lower overtime expenditures. In February, the prison spent $11,172.04 in overtime. Warden Eugene Berdanier said he is checking references for corrections officer applicants.
There are currently two corrections officers, two lieutenants and a maintenance person on extended medical leave. A lieutenant was cleared to return March 23 and a corrections officer is scheduled to return Monday. Two corrections officers also returned to full duty Monday after work-related medical conditions limited their work for several months.
President Judge and prison board Chairman William E. Baldwin said the board is still waiting on the state Department of Correction's vulnerability study on the prison before moving forward with addressing overcrowding at the prison.
The state DOC conducted its study back in September. Baldwin said the board is waiting to hear back from the state about its proposed plan of building a housing facility inside one of the prison courtyards before taking any action.
"Overcrowding continues to be an issue and it is not going away," Baldwin said.
The average inmate population for February was 296, including 45 women. Population peaked at 321 for the month. As of Wednesday, the prison had 296 inmates, including 49 females.
The recommended population for the prison is 240.
Berdanier also said the Salvation Army has donated clothing to the prison.
"This will be beneficial for inmates with little to no personal clothing when discharged or for court. It includes work-type pants, jumpsuits and jackets," Berdanier said.
The clothing with also be used for inmates on work release, he said.
