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| Late payments complicate Illinois prison operations |
| By bnd.com - STEPHEN RICKERL |
| Published: 10/20/2011 |
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CARBONDALE -- The Illinois Department of Corrections insists its failure to pay its bills on time isn't creating any safety concerns inside state prisons. But documents show one department executive warned of "a big problem looming" if a food supplier halted deliveries. "I am fearful at some locations we won't be able to meet the food needs of the population. To an inmate, food is the most important part of the day so this obviously would create huge security concerns," Bryan Gleckler, the department's chief financial officer, wrote in a June letter that was obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. The state soon coughed up part of the $2.5 million it owed the supplier, MJ Kellner, and Gleckler now plays down the safety concerns. He said the department tries to keep enough food on hand to keep providing meals even if deliveries are cut off. "As long as I've been here, we haven't run out of food," Gleckler said in an interview. "... For the most part right now, we're having no issues that I'm aware of with food suppliers." Nevertheless, the prisons system has not escaped problems stemming from the state's chronically late payment of its bills, and in some cases has had to rely on longstanding relationships with vendors to weather the delays. John Maki, executive director of the John Howard Association, said the prison watchdog group has seen problems with vendors providing clothing, toothpaste and pesticides. Food is particularly important, he said, but it's just one of several items where interruptions could dial up tensions behind bars. Read More. |
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