Board approves new jail food and commissary contract after debate over quality and cost

The Genesee County Board of Commissioners voted to award the county jail’s kitchen and commissary contract to Canteen Services Inc., a Michigan‑based vendor, after a contentious presentation and rounds of questioning from commissioners about cost, nutrition and vendor history.

Captain David Kenimer of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office told commissioners the selection followed an RFP process with five bidders. “Our current vendor was the cheapest to go through. But there was several issues … I have 20 pages of documents of concerns that we had as far as food quality, food consistency, preparations, short staffs, security concerns,” Kenimer said, arguing the county needed a vendor with stronger operations and state‑level inspection records.

Kenimer and staff estimated the selected bid would raise annual food costs by about $320,000 compared with the incumbent provider (the board recorded a budget amendment to accommodate the change). Commissioners pressed for specificity on per‑inmate costs and whether the contract’s per‑meal model would fall with population declines; staff said the contract includes a sliding‑scale based on meals served.

Michael Stump, a Canteen vice president who appeared at the meeting, defended the company’s menu and approach: “We don’t use fillers. We use real products in our food,” he said, and described training and ServSafe certification for inmates who continue to assist in kitchen operations.

Some commissioners expressed fiscal concerns and skepticism about awarding the contract to the highest bidder. “I’m worried about their nutrition and so on and so forth,” said Commissioner Sean Shoemaker, while acknowledging concerns about the incumbent. Other commissioners emphasized food quality, jail safety and operational risk if food services remained unreliable.

After debate, the board approved the contract on a 6‑3 roll call. Commissioners who voted against the award questioned whether a lower‑cost bidder might have met standards, asked staff for comparative per‑meal ranges among bidders, and flagged ongoing litigation referenced in vendor evaluations. The sheriff’s office said the new vendor had strong references and local operations, including a regional presence with warehouses and quicker response times.

The contract includes commissary provisions (staff said a roughly 36% delivery/markup is typical, with a portion of commissary revenue offsetting sheriff’s office operations). Commissioners asked staff to monitor commissary pricing and to ensure essential personal hygiene items are not subject to prohibitive markups.

The board’s vote authorizes staff and the sheriff’s office to finalize the contract; commissioners requested a follow‑up on first‑quarter service metrics and comparative pricing for commissary items.