At the December meeting of the Schuylkill County Prison Board, Warden Michael Buchanan delivered his monthly State of the Prison report, highlighting revenues and expenses at the facility in Pottsville.
In November, the County Prison brought in $26,048.99 in revenue. Going out was more than $1.2 million in expenses.
Here is a breakdown of those expenses:
| Expenditure Category | Amount |
| Salary – Department Head | $7,307.68 |
| Salaries – Deputies and Assistants | $66,692.26 |
| Wages – Deputies and Assistants | $4,451.88 |
| Salaries – Clerical Staff | $3,418.10 |
| Wages – Regular Employees | $250,677.18 |
| Wages – Regular Part Time | $4,483.87 |
| Wages – Overtime | $74,456.11 |
| In Lieu of Benefits | $420.00 |
| Materials & Supplies | $13,721.54 |
| Groceries | $45,838.26 |
| Clothing and Bedding | $9,539.54 |
| Cleaning Supplies | $1,413.93 |
| Uniforms | $13.95 |
| Fuel, Electric, Water, & Sewer | $13,344.58 |
| Temporary Housing | $98,579.38 |
| Professional Services | $14,368.75 |
| Travel Expenses | $212.97 |
| Non-Payroll Commissions | $886.70 |
| Inmate Wages | $525.00 |
| Maintenance & Repairs | $6,893.92 |
| Maintenance Agreements | $1,638.10 |
| Capital Upgrades | $585,888.58 |
| Total Expenditures | $1,204,772.28 |
Temporary Housing Expenses
One expense we like to highlight is the cost of temporarily housing inmates at other county facilities. As of the December Prison Board meeting, Schuylkill County was paying to house inmates at facilities in Northumberland (38 inmates), Centre (6), and Clinton (3).
The average number of inmates being temporarily housed in other facilities in November was 47.
In November, Schuylkill County paid $98,579.38 in temporary housing costs, bringing the yearly total to $674,755.14.
This cost is often used in the debate of whether or not the County should consider a new prison or building a pre-release prison.
| Month | Temporary Housing $ |
| January | N/A |
| February | $ 69,704.86 |
| March | $ 49,662.68 |
| April | $ 59,846.22 |
| May | $ 45,858.59 |
| June | $ 12,330.44 |
| July | $ 87,634.97 |
| August | $ 62,766.00 |
| September | $ 84,024.00 |
| October | $ 104,348.00 |
| November | $ 98,579.38 |
| December | N/A |
| TOTAL | $ 674,755.14 |
Other Notes
Buchanan also reported that the peak census at Schuylkill County Prison in November 223. The lowest number of inmates last month was 199.
There are currently 8 inmates in the Work Release program.
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...