The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections is renewing a contract to feed the state's 50,000 prison inmates with a company whose early troubles getting the job done led to criticism over privatizing the service.
The agency rejected a counter-proposal by the state employees' union after a four-person panel determined the union's plan would cost too much. The union says the state review of its proposal to take back the contract to feed inmates wasn't fair or serious. Chris Mabe president of the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, says the state agency that did the review is less qualified and more vested in current contractor Aramark Correctional Services than any other entity. State prisons director Gary Mohr told Ohio's state contracting agency Tuesday it was authorized to renew the contract with Philadelphia-based Aramark Correctional Services through June 30, 2017. The company faced criticism last year over understaffing, running out of food, and a few cases of maggots near food prep areas.
