TRUMBULL COUNTY Sheriff expects drop in food costs at jail

Food from state purchasing is 'substantially cheaper' than what the county has been paying a local company, the sheriff says.
By STEPHEN SIFF
and PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Sales to Acme Steak have stayed about the same since Trumbull County commissioners announced Sept. 25 that they would no longer be buying jail inmates' food from the Youngstown company.
That should end today, however, with the first delivery of state-purchased groceries.
Food costs at the Trumbull County Jail have been about $17,000 a month for the past several months, as officials waited for deliveries from the state purchasing program to begin.
"I expect food costs to go down," said Thomas Altiere, the county sheriff, who asked county commissioners to make the switch two months ago. "The prices we are getting from state purchasing are substantially cheaper."
Jail officials said they will no longer be buying the bulk of their food from Acme Steak. Officials said they may still use the company for a few items.
Voted to switch
In September, county commissioners voted to switch to state purchasing for inmate food after a series of Vindicator articles described how the current supplier, Acme Steak, had been selected.
Companies were not given a chance to bid on a formal contract for food, although the county's grocery has been nearly $200,000 a year.
Rather, James Tsagaris, a county commissioner, and Tony Carson, the county purchasing director, gave Acme Steak the chance to beat the price of then-supplier Sysco Corp. They then asked officials at the county jail and juvenile justice center to switch to the Youngstown company.
So far this year the county has paid $179,355.80 to Acme.
Generally state law requires formal bidding or the use of the state purchasing program for expenditures more than $15,000.
Comparing charges
The state program charges 44 percent less for some items than Acme Steak, jail officials say.
Tsagaris, however, said the hand-picked company offered the better value. He blamed Dennis Watkins, the Trumbull County prosecutor, for prompting commissioners to switch.
"Tell the people of Trumbull County that because of the prosecutor, we have been spending more money today than ever before," Tsagaris said.
"The meals are up from 69 cents to 87 cents per person, but that is what we are going to do, that is what the prosecutor's office wanted," he maintained.
Jail officials, however, say the impact of switching from Acme to state purchasing has not been felt, because the first delivery from state purchasing arrives today. The per-meal cost has remained more or less constant at 78 cents, said Ernie Cook, the sheriff's department's chief of operations.
Cook said the jail has been using Acme because that is the company Tsagaris told them to use.
siff@vindy.com
sinkovich@vindy.com