‘Get It Done, Get It Moving,’ Jail Renovation Delay Irks Thornton

CREST HAVEN – “Get it done. Get it moving,” ordered Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton. He spoke of the $17-million renovation of the Cape May County Correctional Center “that has been dragging on for five or six years.”
Thornton spoke at the freeholder caucus Thur., Aug. 23 as Sheriff Gary Schaffer, Undersheriff Robert Nolan and Warden Donald Lombardo listened from seats about 20 feet away.
The correctional center crowd gathered, not to hear the order to get going on the jail upgrade, but to witness freeholders award a five-year contract to Conmed, Inc. of Hanover, Md. to provide medical and pharmaceutical services for inmates with a provision for 24-hour nursing service, dictated by the state Department of Corrections. The contract begins Oct. 1 and is for $616,000 with an additional $82,000 for the nursing care.
Purchasing Agent Kim Allen told the board service was previously provided by Corizon. She said the request for proposals had been “very complex” with four responsive vendors and one that was deemed not responsive due to not filing required documents. She said five evaluators had reviewed the bid packages “very extensively.”
Allen said numerous references had been contacted regarding Conmed, and all rated it “superior,” she said. Prior to the award, there were face-to-face meetings with Dr. Turner, the chief executive officer and medical director. Instant response was something lacking with Corizon for the past year and a half, she said.
“We know that kind of response is important,” said Allen.
Conmed is responsible to meet all licensing criteria, alleviating the county from the tedium of the healthcare provision. County officials had also visited with Conmed’s management director. They also toured a new facility in Ocean County, where Conmed has provided medical service for 23 years.
Thornton openly criticized the state Department of Corrections which mandates that county jails provide 24 hour nursing care for inmates. “They mandate it to all counties, but there is no funding to go with it. That’s my major criticism,” he said.
“All counties are financially strained, and here we are, it’s costing $82,000 a year without compensation from the state,” said Thornton. There is no legislation to back up the dictate, he noted.
“The problem is if something happens in the middle of the night,” said Vice Director M. Susan Sheppard.
“Very few county jails have a hospital five minutes away,” Thornton replied. “Also, we considered the nursing staff at Crest Haven Nursing Home. We have nurses on duty 24 hours a day,” he said. “That didn’t satisfy DOC. I am not happy being forced to bear the burden of another $82,000 for a state agency that is not willing to pay for it,” he added.
”It’s very difficult for us,” Thornton said, reassuring officials from Conmed his ire was not directed at them, but at the state Department of Correction.
Sheriff Gary Schaffer told the Herald he believes the county will realize a saving in the nursing care area, since, at present, if an inmate needs medical attention, two corrections officers must be detailed to the inmate and an ambulance summoned to transport to Cape Regional Medical Center. He expects many such trips to be eliminated with the duty nurse and medical doctor available via telephone 24 hours a day.
Of the delayed start to the jail, Thornton cited permits that had been issued, but which expired Dec. 31, 2011.
“We should never have let that happen,” he said. He also said he had spoken with Freeholder Leonard Desiderio, who oversees public safety. “He didn’t know why it was dragging on,” said Thornton.
After meeting with the project architect, warden and Undersheriff, Thornton turned to County Engineer and asked about the permits.
Engineer Dale Foster responded the DOC permit is the one that expired Dec. 31, and that another permit, this one from Department of Environmental Protection, a CAFRA (Coastal Area Facilities Review Act) permit would be needed even thought the jail is far from water, but is the first lot off tidal water.
“It’s very disturbing those permits expired,” said Thornton. “I would like to see that project completed in 18 months. Dale, if you have to run to Trenton, give those people hell. Let’s get that done.”