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Century Wants To Eliminate Position, Replace With Work Release Inmates
September 11, 2019
The Town of Century wants another inmate work squad from the local prison, and the town is willing to eliminate a position to pay for it.
Street Superintendent Kevin Merchant wants to eliminate a vacant budgeted position, benefits for that position and other associated costs like overtime to save about $50,000 to offset the cost of additional work release squad from Century Correctional Institution.
The work release squad would include five inmates and supervising correctional officer working in the street department. The town has budgeted an additional $10,000 to cover the shortfall from the $60,000 per year estimated cost.
The next step in the process is the creation of a contract by the Florida Department of Corrections for town approval.
Pictured. Century Correctional Institution inmates on a work detail at Nadine McCaw Park in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
18 Responses to “Century Wants To Eliminate Position, Replace With Work Release Inmates”
It’s cool that they do that, but they need to hire these guys after they get out rather than look at their criminal record. if they have no problem working them while they’re in prison than they should have no problem while they are out of prison and not use a background check as a way to get out of employing them
Isn’t the TOC currently being sued by an inmate that was hurt while working?
I’m on the fence with this one. On 1 hand I think that putting non- violent inmate work release to work is positive notion. Saves the town money and these prisoners can earn their keep. After all we are supporting them. It also may help then see their is a better way to life than what landed them in prison any way. To pay their debt to society. On the other hand there are people in Century who I’m sure can use and really need a job.
I would definitely feel more comfortable knowing the inmates were supervised by a correctional officer, but I see some serious issues here. Just because you hire a former Gulf Breeze manager doesn’t mean that Century can financially support the same ideas. If they had a position that paid $50,000 annually (overtime or not) do you think it would be vacant? They “budgeted” an additional $10,000? From where? An easy sell to an oblivious town council & mayor won’t be quite as easy of a sell to the DOC financial auditors/attorneys/contract managers in Tallahassee..good luck with that though! LOL!
I don’t believe you can count the overtime costs of a vacant position in savings.
And inmates can’t come out in inclement weather or at night so someone will still be doing overtime.
Contraband going back into the prison, locked down can’t work, so inmates are not the golden saviors that some believe them to be.
This is stupid. I’m sure there’s someone in century who needs a job. Hey let’s have the century work release inmates do this job, so we don’t have to hire that guy who fell on hard times. Them inmates eat free, and they have a roof over their heads. There’s no reason this job can’t be given to someone in need.
I guess the town council will have their private lawns taken care of.
Smart thinking….5 workers for the price of one. I hope Century continues to make these smart decisions…..
“Apparently it saves the city a lot of money since you don’t have to give them benefits.” Until they are cutting trees and get injured. Proper supervision and not letting workers do things they are not capable of safely doing.
One of the benefits is getting inmates out and working, it’s called empowerment. It can also save the town of Century some much needed money. Now, the real questions is, which position gets cut? This entire process is one small step in the right direction, in my opinion.
Is it possible they could replace Council?
Atmore uses them. Apparently it saves the city a lot of money since you don’t have to give them benefits.
This is cazy eliminating jobs eliminate council seat there the problem one council seat needs to be gone she is a trouble maker
Eliminate the Gas Director position while you are at it and save even more money!
I say we let them run the gas and water departments, and while their at it, the city council and mayors office as well, how much worse could they do? Think of the money saved.
I agree with the prison inmate deal…as long as Hawkins and the whole board are the inmates.
It’s way past time to eliminate self importance,self adorning positions
Century Citizens, begin the Elimination of Positions at the Voting Booth and improve your Town and the economy.
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