The Butler County Prison is getting a new phone and technology system that officials said will reduce inmate phone costs, provide new computer tablets and increase revenue.

The board on Tuesday voted to authorize Warden Joe Demore to negotiate with Smart Communications of Florida for a new phone and technology contract for the prison. He said he will seek a five-year contract with three one-year renewal options.

Smart Communications is one of six companies, including current contractor Securus Technologies, that submitted proposals for the contract.

Demore told the board that inmates would pay 21 cents a minute to use Smart Communications' phones.

In the current phone system, inmates are charged a connection fee of at least $2.20 and local calls can cost them $4 to $6, he said.

Movies, which inmates currently pay $8 to watch on tablets, will cost 1 cent per minute under the new contract, Demore said.

The cost inmates pay for video visits will decrease by about 50% to 10 cents a minute, and the new video system includes improved security features, he said.

The commission that the prison receives from the phone service provider will increase from the current $30,000 a month to $60,000 to $75,000 a month, he said. That commission is deposited into the inmate welfare account, he added.

The technology portion of the contract includes jail management software that contains information about inmates, including the criminal charges filed against them and their photographs.

The current contract expires Jan. 24, giving Demore six months to complete negotiations. The completed contract will be presented to the board for final approval.

Health care providers

The board authorized Demore to contact three inmate health care providers to negotiate a contract to replace the existing provider that terminated its deal with the county.

He said he will contact three providers who, in addition to the current provider Wexford Health Sources of Pittsburgh, submitted proposals in 2017.

Wexford received the contract, but recently notified the county that it is terminating the contract effective Sept. 30.

The board is seeking a five-year contract with a renewal option.

“In the long run, this is going to benefit us,” Demore said.

Moving inmates

The board also approved a draft of a policy to use new inmate mobility cages as alternatives to other restraints and to hedge against possible restrictions to using other restraints.

Demore said two cages costing $3,900 each were purchased as alternatives to restraint chairs that are used to contain inmates who are suicidal and become combative.

He recalled an incident in which an inmate escaped from a restraint chair and swallowed a carabiner that held straps in place. The carabiner had to be surgically removed, he added.

In addition, the cage could be needed if the use of restraint chairs and other devices becomes prohibited.

A referendum passed in the May primary in Allegheny County bans the use of restraint chairs, pepper spray, shackles and solitary confinement for more than 10 days in its county prison. Demore said he has heard that state legislation containing similar prohibitions is being contemplated.

“It's just another alternative to the restraint chair,” Demore said.

In other business, the board hired Russell Stone and Makenzie Craig as casual, or irregular, correction officers at $18 an hour for up to 1,000 hours a year.

The board also authorized Sheriff Mike Slupe to purchase a new inmate transportation van for up to $50,000.

The average daily inmate population in the prison was 424 in June.