The Schuylkill County Prison Board agreed to continue with PrimeCare Medical Inc., of Harrisburg, to provide medical care to inmates at the county prison in Pottsville, in action taken at its quarterly meeting held in the library of the county prison.

In its monthly report on activities, PrimeCare in November had 96 inmates on sick call, 245 inmates seen by psychiatrists, 35 seen by dentists and 15 were on suicide watch with no incidents reported.Warden Eugene Berdanier, in his report to the board, stated there were five officers on extended medical leave and one officer on restricted duty. Overtime paid in November totaled $36,764.75. The total expenditures for the month was $360,262.15. The switch from gas to coal to heat the prison was made Dec. 1. He also reported on many repairs made to the prison including disassembling 102 doors to replace cotton pins. The current inmate population is 214 males and 39 females.Joseph Huth, work release coordinator, reported currently 23 beds are occupied by work release inmates who leave the prison daily to attend to their jobs but come back to spend the nights in prison. They have paid $4,205 for room and board and $1,665 towards their court costs and fines.Those in the Vocational Rehabilitation Program completed 24 jobs and spent two days providing services to senior citizens and also performed 12 community service jobs and 10 jobs for the county.