Staffing at the Lycoming County Prison continues to be a challenge as Warden Brad Shoemaker shared at this month’s Prison Board meeting that people who apply don’t always follow through.

He indicated that there are four people scheduled to start in the upcoming weeks, but that there are two employees leaving, for a gain of two new employees.

“I can’t put my finger on it. What’s the reason behind it, but we continue to advertise and work closely with HR (Human Resources),” he said.

“They send us applications multiple days during the week, we review those applications, schedule interviews and as long as people are interested, we’re going to continue to conduct interviews and try to get our positions filled,” he said.

District Attorney Tom Marino, who is also a member of the Prison Board, told the board that he had attended a conference where it was reported that district attorney offices are also having difficulty with applicants not showing up.

“I don’t know if it’s just this generation,” he said.

Under personnel, the board approved the following personnel actions: Susan Satteson, part-time personnel assistant; Camden Smith, Noelle Webb and Brent Leon, full-time correctional officers relief; and Khaliah Little, full-time resident supervisor.

In his report to the board on the prison population, Shoemaker said that the average daily population for the prison and pre-release combined was 279 with a peak of 289, with no overcrowding transfers.

He pointed out that the average population of 279 represented “a pretty significant increase” over December’s total of 246.9.

The mental health snapshot of the prison population taken on Feb. 10 revealed that of the 310 inmates within the prison system on that day-268 males and 42 females-112 of them were under Roster A, with no mental health history. Under Roster B, having some past mental history but no active symptoms within the last year, were 72 of the inmates. There were 110 inmates under Roster C, which denotes that they have current mental health issues, and under Roster D, those inmates that are classified as experiencing serious mental illness, there were 16 inmates.

The board discussed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was approved by the county commissioners at their meeting yesterday. Under the MOU, the Adult Probation Office (APO) will assist the prison with inmate transportation for medical appointments or procedures and will also assist with the supervision of inmates that may need to be admitted to the hospital.

The next meeting will be at 8:30 a.m., March 13 at the Lycoming County Prison, 277 W. Third St.