Delaware County is looking for a transition manager and team to turn the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Concord from private hands back to being county-run, writes Alex Rose for the Daily Times.

The team would smooth the transition and figure out costs for such a move, said Delaware County Jail Oversight Board Executive Director Howard Lazarus at the board’s monthly meeting last week.

The changeover has been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The prison is managed by GEO Groupunder, a for-profit company with a five-year, $264 million contract signed in December 2018.

Corrections officers have complained about staffing shortages at the prison. A guard was beaten there last month and hospitalized.

The prison is now staffed at 92 percent, includes those on leave.

GEO will pay the county a $99,992.64 penalty for the staffing shortfall in August, stipulated in their contract.

GEO hopes to hit 100 percent staff within 30 to 60 days, and currently has 117 prison staff applicants.

“We’re experiencing issues with individuals failing the background phase. Some don’t show up for their drug screening or they simply drop out during the on-boarding phase,”  said Facility Administrator David Byrne.

Read more about returning the prison to county control here.