A recent health inspection at the men’s prison in Concord found 12 separate violations in the kitchen, including damaged equipment, a crumbling ceiling and rodent droppings.
After receiving a complaint, health inspectors visited the prison the day before Thanksgiving last month.
According to their report, they found a range of violations: from mouse droppings near a storage room to food improperly stored on the floor. The report also raised concerns about the condition of the kitchen’s ceiling.
“Indeed the ceiling is in need of repair, it was not observed to be leaking on food or food equipment, however, it was not raining outside,” wrote the health inspector.
Previous inspection reports show that the ceiling has been a regular source of problems, including falling concrete and persistent leaks. Tarps remain in place to try to control the problem.
“The ceiling in fact has leaked for probably the past 10-15 years. There are tarps installed to divert the leaking water to collection buckets,” reads a report from September 2018.
In a statement, the Department of Corrections writes that it has taken immediate action to correct the violations. Food improperly stored on the floor was discarded, an exterminator was brought in to deal with mice, and a new cleaning schedule is now in place.
The Department of Corrections requested more than $4 million to renovate the kitchen. After receiving legislative approval this year, the agency says it has chosen an architect for the project and “it’s full speed ahead” to complete the construction.
