New jail warden named
Before Acting Warden Edward Strawn delivered his monthly report to the Washington County Prison Board, he cleared his throat Wednesday and said, “Let me apologize. I’m always a little nervous. Today, I’m extra nervous.”
It was understandable that Strawn, 54, of Washington, felt that way. A few minutes later, after reopening a closed session, members of the board voted on changing his status from “acting” to the actual warden.
With the 5-2 vote, Strawn had reason to relax. He was promoted to the jail’s top administrative post.
County Controller Michael Namie and Sheriff Samuel Romano dissented.
Both officials said after the meeting their votes were not a reflection on Strawn, but of an interview process they found lacking.
The board advertised widely for a new warden, but the three who were interviewed were already employed at Washington County Correctional Facility.
Namie cited recidivism, overcrowding, suicide and ever-increasing costs of both inmates’ health care and prescription medications as problems that beset jails near and far, and said he, as a prison board member, would have liked to have heard how potential wardens from facilities in Pennsylvania and other states tackle those issues.
Forty-two people applied for the warden’s position after it was advertised this past spring.
“We took the time to advertise, so it would have been a truer process had we interviewed some outside candidate,” Namie said.
Romano said, “I will work with Warden Strawn,” but he said one of his concerns is the number of trips his deputies must make accompanying inmates to hospitals and doctors’ offices, pegging the number at “30, 40 to 60 times a month. It’s a manpower issue.”
Commissioner Harlan Shober made the motion that Strawn be named warden, which was seconded by Judge John DiSalle. Also voting in favor were Commission Chairman Larry Maggi, Commission Vice Chairman Diana Irey Vaughan and District Attorney Gene Vittone.
Maggi said after the meeting, “I have the utmost respect for the sheriff and controller, and I value their opinion. I’m sure they will certainly support the decision. They said they would like to have seen more of a search. I looked at all the applicants that came in. We got the best candidate. There are a lot of issues in corrections. I think we just felt a little different on what we were looking for.”
Strawn was deputy warden in charge of security under John Temas, a Mon Valley resident who retired June 10 as warden of the jail after a 35-year career at the facility.
Strawn has been on the staff of the jail since 1992, starting as a part-time corrections officer. He attended a course at the Camp Hill Corrections Academy and took part in training updates. He called his education “the school of hard knocks.” He was part of the transition team from the old jail to the new correctional facility in the mid-1990s, during which he was part of a team that wrote many policies and procedures.
After being named warden, Strawn said, “I’m definitely excited, but I also have to realize this is the final chapter. I’m looking forward to it.” He lauded those who work with him on a daily basis. “It’s all in the staffing,” he said. “There’s 100 staff members over there, and I couldn’t ask for 100 better staffers.”
The warden’s position pays $78,200 annually.
Temas announced his intention to retire in April. As the date of Temas’ departure drew closer, the board gave Strawn a raise reflecting his new duties and set the acting warden’s salary at $69,838 with the proviso that the position be abolished when a new warden was named.
As deputy warden, Strawn’s salary had been $60,720. Donald Waugh, Maggi said, remains in the post of deputy warden.
As of June 30, there were 269 male inmates and 60 female inmates in Washington County jail.