The Clinton Item
Responding to a request from Department of Public Works Superintendent Christopher McGown, Worcester County Sheriff Lewis Evangelidis recently provided free inmate labor through the Sheriff’s Inmate Community Service Program to the town for spring clean up at its parks, downtown area and historic Woodlawn Cemetery.
The inmate work crew spent all of last week sprucing up and landscaping Clinton’s historic downtown district, Central Park and the turn-of-the-century Woodlawn Cemetery.
The inmate work release crews are made up of nonviolent, non-sex offender individuals approaching the end of their sentence who have earned a place in the Community Service Program.
According to Evangelidis’ office, inmate work crews completed projects at Clinton’s Fire Department and Housing Authority, resulting in a savings of over $30,000 for the town. In addition, the sheriff responding to an urgent request from town officials for emergency assistance last August prior to Hurricane Irene, immediately dispatched inmate work crews to preform extensive pre-storm debris removal of the town’s bridges and dams helping to avert a serious flooding disaster.
“We cannot thank Sheriff Evangelidis enough for providing the Inmate Community Service Program to the Town of Clinton. The sheriff’s inmate work crews have done a tremendous job and have completed much needed projects at our fire department and housing authority and as we begin to prepare for our Memorial Day parade and observances, we are very appreciative of the extensive spring clean up of our historic downtown and Woodlawn Cemetery. This is truly a wonderful program which has provided a great cost savings and benefit to our community,” McGown said.
For more information on the Sheriff’s Inmate Community Service Program, contact the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office at (508) 854-1938 or visit www.worcestercountysheriff.com.
