David Wapinksy is new warden of the Schuylkill County Prison.

The 50-year-old Schuylkill County native was chosen at the prison board meeting Thursday to fulfill the role. Wapinsky has been the deputy warden since May when former Warden Eugene Berdanier retired.

Michael Buchanan was hired as deputy warden to fulfill the position Wapinsky had.

“I think both of you guys have been doing a fantastic job,” President Judge and chairman of the prison board William E. Baldwin said.

Both Sheriff Joseph Groody and Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael O’Pake agreed.

Wapinsky will make $79,000 and Buchanan, $72,000.

Wapinsky has been an employee since he was 21, having started as a part-time corrections officer. He is a 1988 graduate of Pottsville Area High School. Born in Saint Clair, he now lives in Pottsville.

“I didn’t expect to go into corrections,” he said, adding he wanted to be a teacher originally.

He said leaving the county for a job is something he didn’t think of doing because he enjoys living here.

He enjoys the steadiness and the routine of the prison.

“I have done every job at every level,” he said from part-time corrections officer to deputy warden.

He is in charge of approximately 65 employees at the prison.

Wapinsky talked about the challenges faced at the prison considering its age.

“The building is from the 1800s we are running out of room. It’s as simple as a parking lot that is as built in the 80s no longer holds all of our staff, so some of our staff are parked around the corner. Some of our staff are parked at the meters. Some of us are parked up the street. Plumbing is antiquated,” he said.

In his role as warden, he wants to achieve a resolution on contract negotiations with the union.

“My goal is the same overall as each day I go in. I want to go in and be as incident free as we can, and to handle incidents that we do have quickly,” he said.

Wapinsky said there are no cases of COVID-19 in the prison. Visitors have been prohibited since March. Inmates have computer tablets permitting virtual visitations, he said. Staff have temperatures taken daily upon entry.

Attorneys are permitted to visit, but phone calls with inmates are encouraged.

“We don’t have a lot of foot traffic coming into the jail anymore,” he said.

Wapinsky said for inmates “we try to make it as easy a transition for them as possible. Many times that doesn’t work. A loss of autonomy is not usually agreeable to anyone,” he said.