The responsibility for medical bill payments, which is straining relations between the county prison, borough and township police, will be thoroughly investigated in action taken by the Schuylkill County Prison Board at its quarterly meeting held in the library at the county prison in Pottsville.

President Judge William E. Baldwin, chairman of the board, proposed a formation of a committee to study how the problem is handled in other counties throughout the state and come up with a solution which all parties can accept.Baldwin explained the problem is to determine who is responsible for paying medical bills before a prisoner is technically an inmate in the jail. He added that the prison can not accept persons who are in dire need of medical care to be admitted and believes they should be medically treated first before brought to the prison.This way the costs fall on the borough and township whose police are bringing in a injured party. Currently the county has been assuming all medical costs. The committee will include a representative from the district attorney's office. state police, local police and county government to be headed by Commissioner Francis McAndrew.Warden Eugene Berdanier gave his report on the physical plant. A new washing machine in the work release quarters broke down and parts were ordered for its repair; windiows in B Block hallway were tinted and covered in the yard area due to moving female inmates into the block because of overcrowding; women's rest room was remodeled.The monthly cost of operating the prison was $307,047.64. The prison population stands at 239 males and 49 females.The report by PrimeCare Medical Inc., Harrisburg, who provides medical care to inmates, reported two were hospitalized, seven received outside consultations, 38 were seen by dentists, 37 visited the in-house clinic, 138 on sick call, and 17 on suicide watch with no incidents.All work release beds remained full with the monthly revenue for room and board collected was $4,066 and $1,670 towards their costs and fines.The Vocational Rehabilitation Program completed 21 jobs during May, five days were spent providing service to 75 senior citizens as referred by Office of Senior Service, 13 community jobs performed and four jobs for the county.