Governor Rick Snyder says he’s about ready to call it quits on a privatized prison food services contract if there are more problems.
As we hear from The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Rick Pluta, most recently maggots were found in the meal area of a prison in Jackson.
The state signed the $145 million three-year deal with Aramark Food Services last December. Since then, 70 Aramark employees were banned from state prisons for inappropriate relationships with inmates, and the company was fined for unapproved menu changes and running out of food.
Governor Snyder says he’s close to terminating the contract if more problems turn up.
“There’s been a number of issues, so I would say we’re approaching those kind of points in terms of what needs to be done,” he says.
The governor says he does not see the problems as a security risk, but the corrections officers union says the arrangement is creating problems that could endanger prison staff. The Corrections Department has also sent a letter to Aramark warning that no more problems will be tolerated.