SAYS FOOD SUPPLY NOT “SUFFICIENT”
by Sharon Rondeau
(Nov. 11, 2018) — A letter received Friday from Tennessee inmate Grenda Ray Harmer, #88710, indicates ongoing problems with the food-service provider at Morgan County Correctional Complex (MCCX) and in this case, a reported food shortage.
Aramark provides food service to MCCX and other Tennessee prisons. Over the course of the last several months, Harmer, who is housed in MCCX’s protective custody section, has reported that food portions are smaller than those for inmates in the general population and often lack condiments and other items which normally accompany a meal.
In his November 2, 2018 letter, Harmer wrote that an unspecified number of kitchen employees and “rockmen” (inmate janitors) “didn’t get to eat because Aramark refused to provide a sufficient amount of food.”
Although Harmer said that a corporal on duty that day requested “more food,” he added that “Aramark said they won’t send any more food.”
Harmer has reported the smaller food portions and missing items to prison staff, Warden Mike Parris, and Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) Commissioner Tony Parker on numerous occasions as evidenced by copies of his correspondence received by The Post & Email.
“Its obvious MCCX prison officials either cannot or will not require Aramark to provide Unit #1 a sufficient amount of food so all offenders can eat,” Harmer added. [sic]
In August, Harmer reported health-code “violations” of policy allegedly committed by prison management affecting food safety to Tennessee Department of HCommissioner Dr. John Dreyzehner. To our knowledge, Harmer received no response to his complaint that “MCCX is violating health Department food regulations in two areas.”