Post by IDOCO on Mar 18, 2009 20:37:39 GMT -5
NH may cut prison overtime to save 20 officers from being laid off
New Hampshire House budget writers said Wednesday they are considering cutting the corrections department's overtime budget as a way to save 20 prison guards from being laid off when the state closes Laconia prison.
By NORMA LOVE
Associated Press Writer
CONCORD, N.H. —
New Hampshire House budget writers said Wednesday they are considering cutting the corrections department's overtime budget as a way to save 20 prison guards from being laid off when the state closes Laconia prison.
Supporters of the proposal argue saving the jobs and moving those guards to the main prison in Concord will help cut demand for overtime and will make the job safer for corrections officers by beefing up staffing levels.
But the corrections department's head said cutting overtime across the board would impair his ability to fill shifts when guards call out sick or are deployed with National Guard units. One lawmaker said he was concerned that staffing levels jeopardized prison guards' safety.
Gov. John Lynch recommended closing the Laconia prison in his budget to save money, which will mean laying off about 78 staffers there. Most of the layoffs target 68 prison guards; the remaining layoffs hit positions like chefs, nurses, a prison shop manager.
Laconia's 350 inmates would be placed in prisons in either Concord or Berlin, while others may be eligible for parole or home confinement. The state would speed up efforts to deport illegal immigrants in prison.
Some 21 positions, mostly case managers, teachers and non-security jobs, were spared from the layoffs and are being moved to prisons in Berlin or Concord. Lawmakers' proposal to cut overtime would save 20 prison guard jobs as well.
Corrections Commissioner William Wrenn objected to the proposed overtime cut, saying it could leave him with insufficient money to fill shifts when from officers are out sick or are deployed with the National Guard to places like Afghanistan.
Wrenn estimated the 20 jobs would cost about $1.5 million — the same amount set aside to cover a 15 minute briefing departing officers give incoming officers each shift. Wrenn said it would be better if the union representing the officers agreed to give up that overtime specifically as a way to save the jobs.
Wrenn told Weare Republican Neal Kurk that only three of the spared jobs were managers, after Weare said he was concerned managers were being spared at the cost of security staffers.
"I don't want staff folks to suffer and administrators to be protected," Kurk said.
Wrenn defended plans to spare the non-security jobs as necessary to reducing the state's 40 percent recidivism rate. He said their contact with inmates inside the prison and after they leave is part of a long-range plan to lower the numbers ex-convicts returning to lockup.
Democrat Peter Leishman, chair of the subcommittee working on Wrenn's budget, argued the security at the Concord prison should be beefed up as well.
Leishman argued the $3.9 million budgeted each of the next two years for overtime should be reduced so 20 officers who would be laid off from jobs in Laconia could be moved to Concord.
"When you have all these people working overtime, you're looking for trouble. They're tired," said Leishman of Milford.
Manchester Democrat Benjamin Baroody said corrections officers in Concord feel they're at dangerous staffing levels now.
Wrenn said the union has asked to meet to discuss the Laconia closure. Leishman told him the subcommittee needed to make a decision soon and scheduled another session with the department Friday.
New Hampshire House budget writers said Wednesday they are considering cutting the corrections department's overtime budget as a way to save 20 prison guards from being laid off when the state closes Laconia prison.
By NORMA LOVE
Associated Press Writer
CONCORD, N.H. —
New Hampshire House budget writers said Wednesday they are considering cutting the corrections department's overtime budget as a way to save 20 prison guards from being laid off when the state closes Laconia prison.
Supporters of the proposal argue saving the jobs and moving those guards to the main prison in Concord will help cut demand for overtime and will make the job safer for corrections officers by beefing up staffing levels.
But the corrections department's head said cutting overtime across the board would impair his ability to fill shifts when guards call out sick or are deployed with National Guard units. One lawmaker said he was concerned that staffing levels jeopardized prison guards' safety.
Gov. John Lynch recommended closing the Laconia prison in his budget to save money, which will mean laying off about 78 staffers there. Most of the layoffs target 68 prison guards; the remaining layoffs hit positions like chefs, nurses, a prison shop manager.
Laconia's 350 inmates would be placed in prisons in either Concord or Berlin, while others may be eligible for parole or home confinement. The state would speed up efforts to deport illegal immigrants in prison.
Some 21 positions, mostly case managers, teachers and non-security jobs, were spared from the layoffs and are being moved to prisons in Berlin or Concord. Lawmakers' proposal to cut overtime would save 20 prison guard jobs as well.
Corrections Commissioner William Wrenn objected to the proposed overtime cut, saying it could leave him with insufficient money to fill shifts when from officers are out sick or are deployed with the National Guard to places like Afghanistan.
Wrenn estimated the 20 jobs would cost about $1.5 million — the same amount set aside to cover a 15 minute briefing departing officers give incoming officers each shift. Wrenn said it would be better if the union representing the officers agreed to give up that overtime specifically as a way to save the jobs.
Wrenn told Weare Republican Neal Kurk that only three of the spared jobs were managers, after Weare said he was concerned managers were being spared at the cost of security staffers.
"I don't want staff folks to suffer and administrators to be protected," Kurk said.
Wrenn defended plans to spare the non-security jobs as necessary to reducing the state's 40 percent recidivism rate. He said their contact with inmates inside the prison and after they leave is part of a long-range plan to lower the numbers ex-convicts returning to lockup.
Democrat Peter Leishman, chair of the subcommittee working on Wrenn's budget, argued the security at the Concord prison should be beefed up as well.
Leishman argued the $3.9 million budgeted each of the next two years for overtime should be reduced so 20 officers who would be laid off from jobs in Laconia could be moved to Concord.
"When you have all these people working overtime, you're looking for trouble. They're tired," said Leishman of Milford.
Manchester Democrat Benjamin Baroody said corrections officers in Concord feel they're at dangerous staffing levels now.
Wrenn said the union has asked to meet to discuss the Laconia closure. Leishman told him the subcommittee needed to make a decision soon and scheduled another session with the department Friday.