Instead of a proposed one-year renewal, Luzerne County Council is poised to vote Tuesday on a shorter agreement with the prison’s inmate medical provider.
Several council members had suggested a monthly arrangement during their April 25 work session discussion about the matter, saying the county should seek proposals to determine if other outside entities are interested.
County Correctional Services Division Head James Wilbur, who started work as the new prison system overseer March 1, told council last month the contract must be addressed because WellPath LLC’s current three-year inmate medical contract expires on May 14.
Council Vice Chairman John Lombardo asked why council has been asked to decide two weeks before expiration.
“Because this is what I inherited, unfortunately. I hate to say that,” Wilbur replied. “This is the height of my frustration.”
Council member LeeAnn McDermott asked if the prison publicly sought requests-for-proposals. Wilbur said that was discussed, but a determination was made that there was not enough time to proceed with that process before the contract expired.
Wilbur said WellPath is willing to remain in place for a shorter period if council wants to seek proposals.
“I think they’re willing to do whatever needs to be done,” Wilbur said.
The provider must supply a range of medical and mental health services and personnel, including prescription and nonprescription drugs and emergency ambulance transport, officials have said.
When the county last sought proposals in 2019, it had received four responses from WellPath, Wexford Health Sources, Correctional Behavioral Health and Correctional Care.
Council had agreed in November 2019 to the administration’s recommendation to hire Wexford. Prior to that, WellPath had been handling the services since March 2015, when the county decided partial outsourcing would be more cost-efficient.
However, the county was pressed to swiftly secure a replacement to take over in June 2020 because Wexford exercised a contract clause allowing termination by either side with at least 120 days of notice if they determine it is in their “best interest.”
A council majority voted in April 2020 to bring back WellPath LLC for three years at around $3 million annually, which is the contract now expiring. Before hiring back WellPath, the administration had requested proposals again, receiving submissions from the same three companies (minus Wexford) and determined WellPath best met the county’s needs, that past agenda said.
In the recent discussions, Council members Brian Thornton and Chris Perry both expressed concerns about WellPath’s performance, with Thornton citing litigation related to inmates.
“I really believe that we deserve better,” Perry said.
Wilbur said he is not there “to be a recruiter for WellPath,” but he pointed out the company now has a strong leadership structure in place locally and improved staffing levels.
“Right now, the WellPath today is not the WellPath that we keep referring to,” Wilbur said.
The medical provider covers an average daily population of 550 to 560 inmates at the Water Street prison and nearby minimum offenders building on Reichard Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Prison roof, elevator
Council also is set to vote Tuesday on Wilbur’s request for additional county American Rescue funds toward prior-approved projects addressing deteriorating parapet walls atop the prison and replacing both prison elevators.
Otis Elevator Company, the lone bidder for the elevator project, submitted a $42,222.75 change order for labor and material increases due to a delay in the project award, the agenda said.
Meanwhile, Bloomsburg-based C&D Waterproofing, the low-bidder awarded the $1.4 million parapet wall contract, submitted a $55,910 proposal to perform additional work on a section of the roof that was found to be unrepairable, the agenda said.
The parapet project was necessary because the damaged masonry is causing water to infiltrate inside, mainly along two cell block areas, officials have said.
The prison’s two elevators date back to the 1980s. Some repairs were completed after a fifth-floor elevator door swung open at the base in 2016, resulting in the deaths of a correctional officer and an inmate, but officials said the motor system and controls must be updated.
Council members expressed frustration over the requests, saying multiple funding increases already had been granted.
Again, Wilbur stressed he inherited the project and said it must be completed for safety reasons. He said he is not sure why the roof work was not included in the original plans but said it makes sense to address it now instead of capping off the area and returning in the future. Wilbur said this section of roof is over the shift commander’s office and was known to have leaks.
Councilman Kevin Lescavage said council had been promised there would be no further increases and made it clear this must be the last.
“Do me a favor. Don’t come back for 25 cents for that elevator or that roof,” Lescavage said.
Council Chairwoman Kendra Vough concurred, saying she made that clear when the administration requested its placement on the agenda.
Councilman Brian Thornton said he visited the prison as part of a council tour a year ago and was in the room under the roof in question, and there were “buckets everywhere.”
“I was only in the prison once and knew about it,” Thornton said, questioning why it was not in the original projects plans.
Regarding the elevator, Wilbur said only one is operational at this time.