Saying no to outside firms, prison stays with in-house commissary

WILKES-BARRE — The Luzerne County Prison Board on Monday rejected two proposals from outside companies to run the prison’s commissary, opting instead to keep the operation in-house.

Warden Gene Fischi recommended the board keep the current setup, saying the two companies that were interested in the contract would provide virtually identical service to what is already offered in-house.

Fischi said concerns that had been raised regarding the no-bid deal with FR Wholesale have become a non-issue because the prison now utilizes numerous other vendors for commissary purchases.

Board members voted in April to seek requests for proposals to run the commissary. The vote came on the heels of a controversy over the purchase of commissary supplies from FR Wholesale, which is owned by Frank Rodano, a close friend of Commissioner Greg Skrepenak. Records show the prison purchased more than $300,000 in goods from the company last year.

Fischi said the prison has been “spreading out” contracts with other vendors since January. For instance, potato chips and snack cakes are now purchased directly from the manufacturers. In addition, other wholesale suppliers are being utilized, including Rex Vending of Hazleton and Crawford Supply of St. Louis.

Fischi said the prison continues to order commissary supplies from Rodano, but the amount has dropped from about $30,000 a month to $19,000 a month.

In other business Monday, the board gave approval to purchase two additional K-9 dogs to add to the prison’s existing three-dog team.

Lt. Joseph Petrovich, head of the K-9 unit, sought the additional dogs to utilize on second shift. Petrovich said the dogs, which will cost $10,000 each, including training, will significantly aid the ability to locate narcotics, as well as help in keeping inmates under control.

The existing three-dog team works only during the day and Fischi said the dogs are used extensively on that shift. To take one off for the night shift would compromise successes they’ve had, he said.