Rich Flowers
August 06, 2007 08:35 am
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The menu at the Henderson County Jail is not bread and water, but the county contracts with a company that can feed each inmate for less than one dollar per meal.
The Henderson County Commissioner’s Court decided this week to extend the contract with ABL to prepare the meals for almost 300 prisoners at the jail each day. Henderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Tony Allison said the county has had good service from ABL for a number of years.
“We talked about rebidding the contract, but we’re in the middle of working with them on the new addition. We’ve got some good plans in place,”Allison said.
According to the company, “the menus and food service provided by ABL Management, Inc. meet the requirements and calorie intake recommendations of the American Correctional Association, National School Lunch and Breakfast Program, Food and Nutritional Board of the National Academy of Science, National Sheriffs' Association, National Commission for Correctional Health Care, and also meet all federal, state and local guidelines, laws and regulations.”
The company has served over 26 million meals to prisoners in various states.
ABL advertises its service as saving the county in several different ways. Total annual payroll, training and hiring costs for all food service employees, the total amount of food purchased, the purchase of supplies and the purchase of dish-cleaning materials.
Allison said the meals are compliant with state jail standards and state law. “It’s certified by a dietitian and approved by our staff.”
The company promises the company meets nutritional standards, but makes no claims concerning their tastiness. It services, not only jails, but hospitals and other government entities, but with a different menu at those locations. ABL reported earnings of over $50 million dollars in 2006.
Henderson County paid the company $274,082.54 for the service in 2006 according to budget figures posted on the Henderson County Web site.
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