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| Idaho Women's Prison Cuts 11 Positions |
| By Idaho State Journal |
| Published: 09/30/2002 |
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The Pocatello Women's Correctional Center and the Sixth District Probation and Parole Department cut 11 positions in response to a recent state funding cut. Brian Underwood, who serves as both prison warden and director of Probation and Parole, said five of the positions were ones that he had left unfilled and one was reclassified. Underwood said the manager of education position will be made a prison instructor and will receive a lower wage, which hasn't yet been determined. In addition, 40 percent of the Probation and Parole Department's vehicular fleet will be sold, and officers will no longer be issued personal state vehicles to conduct probation checks. They will now be asked to car pool, explained Underwood. 'I've had some sleepless nights, and people's lives are affected here,' Underwood said. 'There's no easy way to tell people they're laid off.' By Monday, the Idaho Department of Correction had to submit a plan on how to cut 3.5 percent of its general budget, which amounted to $3.92 million. Don Drum, the department's administrator of support, said the department opted to cut less from maximum security prisons, and as a result, PWCC had a higher percentage of its budget cut. Drum said the prison had to trim $425,600 in personnel costs and $42,250 from its operating budget. The prison absorbed state funding cuts last year. Numbers were not available for the Probation and Parole Department. 'We tried to cut across the board and not completely cut programs in any given area,' Drum said. 'I don't think we had any fluff where we could just drop positions and it wouldn't have an impact. Everything we cut will have an impact.' But both Drum and Underwood believe they will manage to continue providing quality services with less staff. Drum said departments have 30 days to submit plans on cutting vehicles. The changes in the motor fleets made it possible for officials to cut fewer positions, he said. The vehicles will probably be auctioned by the state. 'I'm worried about the eastern Idaho districts because they have more rural districts where they travel longer distances in their cars,' Drum said. Underwood said he had a meeting with 12 top administrators to determine which positions to cut. Three administrators were laid off, and two administrative positions were left unfilled. He said many of the administrators in the meeting admitted their positions were the most expendable. 'I thought it was important first to look at administration,' Underwood said. 'We would much rather keep a drug counselor vs. keeping a supervisor.' Underwood said he personally met with each person cut and will try to find each one another position within the department. 'What I want the public to know is we're still going to protect the public and make inmates better and make them more successful. That's our job,' Underwood said. 'The question is, if we have to go through a further round of cuts, can we accomplish that?' |
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