By Brad Pedersen
The Leader Times
KITTANNING, Pa. — The Armstrong County Prison Board began streamlining administration at its jail by eliminating one of two deputy warden posts at the facility.
The board released Deputy Warden Kevin Shepard last week to reduce staffing and cut costs. Shepard, who had held the position since 2010, made $43,000 per year.
“There could be more changes in the future, but I’m not exactly sure where or when we’d consider cutting back,” Warden David Hogue said. “Our main goal is to have a leaner work force, trim where we can and save tax dollars.”
The county released Shepard since he had the shortest tenure of the two deputy wardens. The other deputy warden, Matt Roofner, started with the county 20 years ago, said Dan Lucovich, director of Human Resources.
Shepard could not be reached for comment.
The jail has about 140 inmates — supervised by 58 corrections officers — five lieutenants, a warden, deputy warden and work release coordinator. It employs two maintenance and four medical staff members.
Officials plan to leave the jail’s leadership up to Hogue and Roofner, but if they need assistance, the county may create a captain’s position, said County Commissioner Rich Fink, who is president of the Armstrong County Prison Board.
“The county salary board has not officially created the captain position or determined its pay rate,” Fink said. “I’d imagine there will still be a cost savings, since the captain’s position will pay less than a deputy warden’s position.”
The captain would handle scheduling staff, security and training sessions at the jail, similar to a deputy warden. The difference between the two positions is that the captain would not handle inmate requests or deal with staff overtime requests, Hogue said.
Hogue said he is unsure if he’d ever ask the county to add the captain’s position to the jail’s staff.
“It may never happen because I don’t want to put any more people on payroll than I have to,” Hogue said. “I don’t know if we’ll ever replace Shepard, but if it happens, it won’t be for quite some time.”