aromark food service and ky prisons

Currently aromark food service is the food contractor for all prisons in ky that are state run, the audit revealed that aromark is overbilling and not feeding the inmates good food. like the other day a prison in wky ran out of soup been and made turnip green soup out of two day old turnip greans and yesterday the same prison had Bologna Soup . is this what we are paying for no. the audit revealed even more. also today 12/2/2010 an inmate had filed a grievance against the food service well at the greievance hearing an aromark employee said " its my job to feed them not make the food taste good". also on 12/1 there was not any hot water in the food service location and the health department still allowed food to be served . there has to be something done.
State Department of Corrections' officials expect to renew a $12 million food service contract with Aramark Correctional Services, even though a recent audit found the state was overpaying and questioned whether the company was meeting its obligations.

In October, state Auditor Crit Luallen identified more than $36,000 in overpayments to Aramark because of billing errors and non-compliance with contract provisions, and said the total overpayments could exceed $130,000.

Auditors found instances when ingredients such as pasta, rice, potatoes and beans "were dramatically reduced or omitted," and Luallen questioned whether taxpayers were getting their money's worth.

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Audit: State overpays by thousands of dollars on prison food contract

Audit: State overpays by thousands of dollars on prison food contract

An audit of the state Department of Corrections' $12 million food service contract with Aramark Correctional Services has found that the state is overpaying the company thousands of dollars a year and is not ensuring that Aramark serves the proper quantities of required ingredients or meets its obligations.

State Auditor Crit Luallen released the report Thursday.

The Philadelphia-based company provides food service three times a day at Kentucky's 13 state prisons.

Contract renewal needs rethinking

ARAMARK Correctional Services' $12 million state contract specifically says the state auditor's office "shall have access to any books, documents records or other evidence ... for the purpose of financial audit or program review."

But the company refused to provide key financial information when the auditor's office conducted a recent review of its performance in providing food to inmates of state prisons.

Not surprisingly, then, Auditor Crit Luallen asked the Department of Corrections and the Finance and Administration Cabinet to consider whether ARAMARK was in breach of contract.

Bill would require disclosure from state's prison canteens

Bill would require disclosure from state's prison canteens

A state lawmaker has pre-filed legislation for the 2011 General Assembly that would require the state's centralized prison canteen operation, which manages between $2 million and $3 million annually, to make its business public.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Brent Yonts, D-Greenville, was suggested recently by Kentucky Auditor Crit Luallen.

While auditing the state's $12 million contract with Aramark, the food service giant that provides three meals a day at the state's 13 prisons, Luallen's staff found issues with the Kentucky Centralized Inmate Commissary Inc., which is made up of the commissioner of the Department of Corrections, wardens and other top corrections officials.

Poor prison food, state oversight

Poor prison food, state oversight

Whatever its other drawbacks, life in prison supposedly assures inmates of having "three hots and a cot."

But some Kentucky inmates may have been shortchanged a bit on the "three hots" part of the deal.

State Auditor Crit Luallen's office released a report Thursday on its review of the Department of Corrections' $12 million contract with ARAMARK Correctional Services to feed the state's prisoners. The audit — prompted by reports that food service was a contributing factor in the August 2009 riot at Northpoint Training Center — produced a number of troubling findings.

Medicaid contractor hires new leader; Beshear demands more changes

Medicaid contractor hires new leader; Beshear demands more changes

FRANKFORT — A Louisville managed health care program announced Wednesday it has found a new interim CEO to correct a host of problems found in a scathing audit of the organization.

After a meeting with Passport Health Plan's main investors, Gov. Steve Beshear said the group's board has hired Mark B. Carter, a Louisville CPA with previous health care experience, as its new chief executive. Beshear's administration must also approve the hire.

The move is one of several that state officials are asking of Passport after State Auditor Crit Luallen found widespread problems at the organization that manages Medicaid services in Jefferson and 15 surrounding counties.

Justice Cabinet spokeswoman Jennifer Brislin said in an e-mail that the Department of Corrections expects to renew the contract in January.

However, State Rep. Brent Yonts, D-Greenville, has pre-filed a bill for the 2011 General Assembly that would cancel the contract, which expires Jan. 4.

The bill calls for existing private contracts, including Aramark's, to be canceled unless they were previously authorized by statute.

"My opinion is that this contract should not be renewed," Yonts said in an interview.

Some private contracts are automatically authorized by statute. For others, Yonts' legislation would require a state agency to propose the contract to the Finance and Administration Cabinet, which would send it to the governor. The governor would have to propose it to the legislature, which would approve it before it could be authorized, Yonts said.

"Representative Yonts' bill is untenable," said Kerri Richardson, a spokeswoman for Gov. Steve Beshear. "It would compromise the governor's ability to efficiently manage government."

Richardson said the corrections department is developing an action plan that will strengthen compliance and documentation for food preparation.

The initial Aramark contract ran from January 2005 until January 2009. The terms of the contract include three two-year renewals. The contract was renewed in 2009.

Aramark, based in Philadelphia, serves three meals each day at Kentucky's 13 state prisons.

Luallen has said that Aramark provides the necessary calories under federal guidelines, but "the way the contract is being implemented leaves questions about whether or not inmates are actually getting" the required food.

Aramark spokeswoman Kristine Grow defended the company Monday.

"We have a very strong record of providing state inmates with healthy and nutritious meals that meet or exceed all local, state and federal standards while saving the commonwealth and its taxpayers $5 million each year, or approximately $30 million over the term of our agreement," Grow said.

When Luallen released the audit, she asked the Department of Corrections and the Finance and Administration Cabinet to determine whether Aramark was in breach of the contract for failing to submit many financial documents she had requested for the audit.

Brislin said that meeting had not taken place but would be scheduled soon.

Members of House Judiciary Committee voted to end the contract during the 2010 session. The legislature did not take any further action on the contract during the session after Luallen initiated the audit.

But an interim joint judiciary committee has asked Luallen, officials from Aramark and the Department of Corrections to answer questions at a meeting Dec. 15.

link to audit
http://www.auditor.ky.gov/Public/Audit_Reports/Archive/2010ARAMARKreport-PR.htm