OKEECHOBEE CI and ARAMARK
"Decency, security and liberty alike demand that government officials shall be subjected to the same rules of commands to the citizen."
This letter is not a complaint. Neither is it an accusation. Rather it is simply a statement with some helpful information. So those of you who receive it and have the political and administrative power can take charge of the necessary investigations into what is occurring at Okeechobee 'Correctional' Institution. You are the ones responsible for bringing to Justice those in uniform that abuse their power and continuously swindle the tax-payers out of their money as follows:
The Administration at Okeechobee 'Correctional' Institution and the private company Aramark, that runs the kitchen, have clandestine agreements to benefit each other. It would be hard for those in positions such as yours to imagine or conceive that fraudulent activities such as the ones I will mention briefly are happening and are unknown by the free world.
For example, on March 5th, 2003, this Administration "celebrated" another of its regularly scheduled social parties. As is the custom, the kitchen staff provided everything necessary to ensure the proper and successful development of such a party. Items used include 4 cases (80 units each, for a total of 320) of beef patties; 4 1/2 cases (100 units each, for a total of 450) of hot dogs. In addition to all types of seasonings; also, salads (various kinds), juices, sodas, coffee, etc. Plus all of the Institution's utilities (water, electricity, gas), paper and plastic goods, and janitorial services (e.g. inmates) for their private use. All of it free of charge to them, of course! And paid for with the tax-payers' money to satisfy the whims of those at this place.
ARE THE VOTERS AWARE OF THIS?
Is there an amendment in Florida's Constitution or its legislation, in the business code of ethics, or in Department of 'Corrections' regulations that authorizes that the food and supplies, which are for the consumption and maintenance of the inmate population at Okeechobee 'Correctional' Institution, to be misused by the Department of 'Correction' employees for recreative and social activities of the Administration and staff?
Everything that is in or arrives at an Institution - food, medicine, education, etc - is meant for the care, control, consumption, and exclusive use of the inmate population.
Besides being a place for confinement, this is also a work place. Commissioned by the State and to serve State purposes. As such, those employed in public services are sworn to uphold the Constitution. Therefore, they are not employed merely to collect a paycheck and wrongfully utilize their power to serve their personal needs by malspending the prison's state-founded tax-provided budget on social events. In this case, the inmate population's food.
If ignorant inmates can see these abnormalities, how many others are being carried out in private and out of the reach of our view? Or, out of your view, which is miles away. Do you imagine that such events are occurring in other Department of 'Corrections' Institutions?
The Department of 'Correction' has become the bridge between the tax-payers' money and the private industry. By the way, speaking of private industry, Department of 'Correction' is still supplying the slave labor to the above mentioned private company, "Aramark", so that Aramark can make millions of dollars in profit with inmates' labor. Using it is every facet, from the elaboration to the dispersement of food at Institutions all over the state.
Shortly I will send you some data of the staffs' dining hall menu for one week. This would not be important if the volume of food served at said dining hall matched the amount of money being collected. Supposedly, every employee pays for his meal. However, the reality is another thing.
I will cite you an example that is very easy to measure: The days that they serve chicken, 150 pieces of leg-quarters are cooked. Of course, each leg-quarter should be considered as the main course (with the corresponding side servings, which are many). Therefore, there must be a total of 150 tickets gathered and charged. Now, do an audit and you will find out that is not the case!
I'll explain another clandestine operation that exists between Aramark Food Service supervisor, Cannly, and a few trustee servant inmates.
The meals consisting of ground beef (macaroni with meat, creamed beef, spaghetti and meat sauce, fried rice, etc) should carry 220 pounds of beef (eleven cases with two ten-pound units each). This is what actually transpires:
a) Five and a half cases of ground beef are substituted for five and a half cases of ground turkey.
b) The inmate in charge of cooking the ground beef separates four ten-pound units but does not cook them.
c) Of these four units, three are returned to Cannly (this not only saves Aramark some money, but earns Cannly a monthly bonus for saving her company said money. However, this creates "conflicts of interest": Padding her pockets while depriving the inmates of proper nutrition.
d) The inmate doing the above mentioned operation gets to keep the fourth ten pounds of ground beef.
e) Then, he's allowed to cook, at his leisure, and with special condiments, his ten pounds of ground beef.
f) Later, he sells it on the compound by rations in the black market...of hunger!Most interesting is that these acts occur under the tolerant view of a group of 'correctional officers'. They, too, receive fringe benefits: Cannly allows the 'correctional officers' to do and to eat whatever they want in the kitchen.
TO THOSE IN AUTHORITATIVE POSITIONS WHO RECEIVE THIS LETTER:
At times like these, in which our country is at War with "Terrorism" (and perhaps on the eve of a nuclear conflict with Eastern Countries), it is really a shame to have you spend your time in such trivial yet distasteful issues as those aforementioned. Trivial because we are referring to little other than "more vs. less food". Or rather, the mandated portions and quality over the reduced and inferior substitution of nutritional value. But one which affects inmates who are at the borderline of misery.
Distasteful because of the fact that it will be inconceivable to those in the free world that this can happen in our nation at the height of the twenty-first century. And by a group of state employees with the wrongful concept of what it means to have a position of authority and power while disregarding the contents of the U.S. Constitution. Acts such as these create a slow but inevitable debilitation in the state's economy and bring about grave consequences.
I am well aware that this letter will infuriate the group of 'correctional officers' that are most benefited by the anomalies described herein. It will also unleash a Tsunami-like wave of violence against inmates. But, as Dr. Martin Luther King once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere... Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
In closing, I'm asking for something to be done in order to correct the situation with that group of "bad apples" who have exercised (and still are) such erred authority. And the Administration at Okeechobee 'Correctional' Institution, which has allowed such inexcusable behavior to occur for so long. Or, will you show us by your lack of action that these good-old-boys are above the Law?
MENU
Monday - 100 leg quarters, 30 lbs of ground beef to make a lasagna; 10 lbs of turkey & 5 lbs of ham to make a salad with eggs and vegetables. Dessert: Oatmeal creamed cookies.
Tuesday - 100 lbs of pork meat (2 cases); 10 lbs of turkey & 5 lbs of ham to make salad with eggs & vegetables. Dessert, Oatmeal Creamed Cookies.
Wednesday - 100 leg quarters; 10 lbs of turkey and 5 lbs of ham to make a salad with eggs & vegetables. Dessert, Oatmeal Creamed Cookies.
Thursday - 40 lbs of ground beef; 10 lbs of turkey & 5 lbs of ham to make a salad with eggs and vegetables. Dessert, Special Cookies.
Friday - 150 leg quarters; 10 lbs of turkey & 5 lbs of ham to make a salad with eggs & vegetables. Dessert, Cinnamon roll.Respectfully and Anonymous
To: Senator Kendrick Meek
18441 N.W. 2nd Ave Suite 515
Miami, Florida 33169cc: District Office of Jenny Edwards
1220 N.E. 8 Street Suite A
Gainesville, Florida 32601-4597Honorable Alcee Hasting
U.S. District Court
301 North Miami Avenue
Miami, FL 33128-7788Julie C.
Sundy Outlook
P.O.Box 0093
Port St. Lucy, Florida 34985Marta Villacorta
Region IV Director
20421 Sheridan Street
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33332Alex Villalobos
State Representative
2350 Coral Way Suite 202A
Miami, Florida 33145-3500Ms. Cemments
Central Officer
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302