Dallas County (TX) commissioners have cancelled plans to privatize foodservice operations in the county’s jails, reports the Dallas Morning News. The county had begun the process of advertising for vendors in early February under the suggestion of Commissioner Ken Mayfield. However, once County Sheriff Lew Sterrett voiced reservations about the initiative, the other four county commissioners balked and voted 4-1 to cancel the RFP.
Mayfield, who was the only commissioner voting to go ahead, claimed privatization would save Dallas County between $500,000 and $1.5 million annually. The Sheriff's Department currently handles food service in the jails using inmate labor.