Dona Ana County commissioners concerned over inmate welfare funds

Dona Ana County Attorney Nelson Goodin presented a Powerpoint to commissioners during a county work session explaining the detention center’s inmate welfare fund. Some commissioners expressed concerns over how the money is spent and who’s in charge of the money.

According to the Powerpoint at a county work session, the inmate welfare fund currently has over $700,000 in it.

“This is something very serious that we need to address at a commission level,”Commissioner Wayne Hancock said.

Hancock said with so much money at stake, there needs to be more regulations over the inmate welfare fund.A powerpoint presented to commissioners showed a spike in numbers to the welfare fund around the years 2011 to 2012. County Attorney Nelson Goodin says that’s because the detention center’s food service company Aramark started giving the county 34 percent of the profits instead of 25 percent. Some commissioners said making a profit off inmates and giving more money to the county is alarming.

“It’s hard to get sympathy for inmates not getting salt. That’s not one of those things that gets put high on the list. Is it of concern and is it there on the list? Yes it is,” Hancock said.

“I’m not concerned that we’re not providing condition and confinement for the inmates that are appropriate. However, if they feel that we need toenhance that in any shape or form we will,” Jail Administrator Chris Barela said.

Some commissioners questioned why this issue hasn’t been brought up sooner. Goodin said an audit was performed in 2009 detailing how the funds were spent. A meeting was also held in 2012.