GA Revisits Use of Inmate Labot
Though using state prison labor may look like a good deal, some members of the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners wonder if the work details are worth the expense. Reported in the Dalton Daily Citizen.
Commissioners on Monday approved 3-1 the county’s annual contract with the Georgia Department of Corrections for inmate labor. Four crews will cost the county $158,000. Each crew can have up to 10 workers. Commissioner Greg Jones voted against the contract, while Chairman Mike Babb only votes to break ties.
Commissioners will revisit whether inmate labor is cost effective. They can cancel or amend the contract, which begins July 1, at any point by giving seven day’s notice. One crew is used for maintenance and light construction, one is used for trash pickup and mowing, while the other two crews are on concrete detail.
Jones suggested only paying for one crew. The concrete work can be bid out cheaper than the inmate labor costs, Commissioner Harold Brooker said. He’s also concerned about the work schedule of the crews because they show up at odd times or sometimes not at all.
Commissioners Mike Cowan and Randy Waskul believe inmate labor is cost effective, referencing a county cost-benefit study several years ago.
“I think four crews is a bargain,” Waskul said.
Public Works Director Alex Barber said he has “mixed feelings” about use of the inmate crews.
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