Monroe County Correctional Facility may soon have a full-scale reentry program for inmates.

Lea Baylor, director of treatment at the facility, told the commissioners the nonprofit agency PathStone had contacted her about a full-scale reentry program.

“The program has a prerelease and post-release regarding employment and education and vocational rehabilitation training,” she said.

Baylor said the identified inmates would receive screening within the facility. The outreach program aims to provide no-cost education and vocational rehabilitation for certification for forklift operators, CDL and other employment opportunities that may require continued education and certification. The outreach post for the inmates in the program will be based in Tannersville.

Baylor also informed the commissioners the nonprofit is helping with an application for a grant called Pathway Home.

“I have a copy of the grant I can send out to you for review. They are seeking a letter of commitment from the correctional facility to submit with the application for grant funding,” she said.

The commissioners said they would be happy to write a letter of commitment or a letter of support and think it is a needed program.

“I think it is a great idea. Just last night, I was talking with someone about how we need to provide more of these kinds of programs,” Commissioner Sharon Laverdure said.

In other business

• Warden Haidle reported since the last census count of 327 the count is holding steady. He said it is starting to go up a little bit because the jail is getting more sentencing in from the courts, but nothing they can’t handle

• Marlow Merhige, the fiscal controller, reported the budget for this month should be around 17%. The overall budget is 14%, while wages stand at 16% and wages are up $185,000 from last year, and overtime is up about $105,000. She pointed out most of the overtime came from the Jan. 3 payroll and this past payroll.

The warden explained most of it was because they had a lot of hospital duty, and an unusual number of medical transports going out doing three or four medical transports that day.

Commissioner John Christy said he would make the board aware of the medical situations with inmates.

The warden said some medical facilities require an inmate have someone from the jail stay with them.

“I think one guy was admitted for four or five days. Then our numbers were steady at around 118, until recently, so that’s why the regular wages are up to over close to full complement and I don’t think last year we were at full-time,” Haidle said.