Missouri Eastern Correctional Center - MECC

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P4P dog Marshal Tucker
P4P dog Marshal Tucker

April 2020

Employee of the Month

CO I Kenneth Powers

Puppy Pic

 

Harriston Beck w/ Marshal Tucker 

Larry Baker & William Miller w/ Meeko 

P4P dog Meeko
P4P dog Meeko

Jesus Sesena & Blake Shelton w/

Stocking 

Jeremy Thurmond & Rickey Turntine w/ Sugar Plum 

 

 

 

 

 

P4P dog Stocking
P4P dog Stocking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P4P dog Sugar Plum
P4P dog Sugar Plum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


March 2020

Employee of the Month

CO I Michael Cobb

New Team Members

CCM II Melissa Larry

Office Support Assistant for Maintenance Caitlyn Adams

Town Hall Report

March 17th at 8:00 am with Warden Jennings – 2 attended

March 17th at 3:00 pm with Warden Jennings – 1 attended

March 17th at 4:00 pm with Warden Jennings – 16 attended

Town Hall Report

Questions asked by staff/topics discussed – 8AM meeting

  1. COVID-19 Q&A session
  2. Keys are not working in all the cell doors
  3. Diabetic call outs are not working in the mornings. Can each house get a list of diabetics in the houses?
  4. COII’s are not being trained correctly. Can they spend 2 days in training with an experienced COII?
  5. Moral is low due to attendance. The Warden throwing a BBQ for the staff was suggested.
  6. Give the supervisors an example of a good Performance Plan.
  7. The Warden should attend 1st shift more often.

Questions asked by staff/topics discussed – 3PM meeting

  1. COVID-19 Q&A session
  2. Investigations
  3. Supervisors
  4. Moral needs to be lifted more, but improvements are being seen.
  5. ENGAGE 2.0

Questions asked by staff/topics discussed – 4PM meeting

  1. COVID-19 Q&A session
  2. Offender movement changes
  3. Everyone likes the look of the new uniforms & they overall feel comfortable. There is some concern as to them being hot in the summer.
  4. Education is continuing through the COVID-19 crisis.
  5. Moral low due to call ins, especially when the supervisors are calling in so much.
  6. ENGAGE 2.0

Important Dates

Upcoming Holidays

Truman Day – Friday, May 8th

Memorial Day – Monday, May 25th


EOM OSA Amy Arnold
EOM OSA Amy Arnold

January 2020

Employee of the Month

COII Elizabeth Massey (no photo available)

OSA Amy Arnold

Awards & Recognition

Employee of the Year

Lt. Herbert Nolden

Outstanding Achievement Award

AC Kevin Midcliff (no photo available)

Employee of the Year Lt. Nolden
Employee of the Year Lt. Nolden

New Team Members

Correctional Officers I to start January 21st

Montanique L. Harris

Michael J. Guliford

Glenn A. Koehler

Gavin S. McDaniel

Jaxon T. Mader

Kaylee C. Melton

Tyler W. Pruitt

Scott A. Teaney

Christy A. Vanderfeltz

Michael J. Guliford

Glenn A. Koehler

Gavin S. McDaniel

Jaxon T. Mader

Kaylee C. Melton

Tyler W. Pruitt

Scott A. Teaney

Christy A. Vanderfeltz

Montanique L. Harris

Maintenance Worker I Lisa A. Gerling to start January 06.

Promotions

DORS OSA Anita L. Clausen has accepted the position of Accounting Clerk effective Sunday, January 12, 2020.

OSA Tobey Adams (Switchboard Operator) has changed to OSA to DW Weaver effective 01/19/2020

OSA Terry Bakhtiari (HU 1 OSA) to Switchboard Operator effective 02/02/2020

COIII Herbert J. Nolden to Corrections Supervisor I (Captain) at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC). Mr. Nolden started his career in 2011 as a Corrections Officer I at Eastern Reception Diagnostic Correctional Center. Mr. Nolden transferred to Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC) in 2013. Mr. Nolden was promoted to a Corrections Officer II in 2015 and promoted to Corrections Officer III in 2017. Mr. Nolden will assume his new position on Saturday, February 01, 2020.

OSA Penny Ryland (DWOM Cynthia Hygrade and AW Diana Simmerly) to OSA in Education effective 02/09/2020.

Important Dates

Town Hall Meetings with Warden Richard Jennings:

January 22nd at 8:00am

January 22nd at 3:00pm

January 22nd at 4:00pm

 

 


ALIVE Family
ALIVE Family

December 2019

Big News

Eric Genius in concert - Tuesday, December 10th at 9 a.m. 

Presentation of gifts for the ALIVE family

Employee of the Month

CO I Joshua Fuller

Records Officer I Patty Garcia

Awards & Recognition

EOM Joshua Fuller
EOM Joshua Fuller

The following individuals have been recognized for their years of service with the MoDOC:

Chaplain John Essary has provided MoDOC with 30 years of service

SET III Andrew Devos has provided MoDOC with 25 years of service.

Case Manager Theresa Hill has provided MoDOC with 20 years of service.

COI Shirley Klingeman has provided MoDOC with 20 years of service.

New Team Members

CO I ‘s for the month of December:

Deirdre A. Matthews

EOM Patty Garcia
EOM Patty Garcia

Connie S. Matthews

Zachary D. Gledhill

Olivia N. Sauberan

Raysean R. Franklin

Robineasha T. Hunter

Tamerashay J. Brown

COOK II  Noah R. Smith

Administrative Office Support Assistant (Warden Jennings) Sharon E. Cole

Promotions

Devos, 25 years
Devos, 25 years

Tommie L. Hoyt to Corrections Officer II at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC). Mr. Hoyt started his career in 2019 as a Corrections Officer I at MECC and will assume his new position on Sunday, December 08, 2019. 

Patrick R. Wood to Corrections Officer II at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC). Mr. Wood started his career in 2018 as a Corrections Officer I at MECC and will assume his new position on Sunday, December 08, 2019.

Retirements

Debra Wilson will be retiring on 12.31.2019 after 22 years of service. Let’s wish her well in her new journey.

Staff Moves

OSA Susan Luedde to Housing Unit #2, Susan is moving over from the Business Office, December 02, 2019

Hill, 20 years
Hill, 20 years

Angel R. Coleman has accepted a transfer to MECC effective Sunday, December 01, 2019 as a Corrections Case Manager II for HU#2. Ms Coleman will join our us from P&P’s Fulton Community Supervision Center.

CO I Jeffrey J. Capestro has accepted the position of Storekeeper I in the Warehouse and will begin on Sunday, January 05, 2020.

Town Hall Report

December 18th at 8:00am with Warden Jennings – 3 attended

December 18th at 3:00pm with Warden Jennings – 0 attended

December 18th at 4:00pm with Warden Jennings – 11 attended

 

Questions asked by Staff / Topics Discussed -8AM meeting

Klingeman, 20 years
Klingeman, 20 years
  1. Can Property officers get time to practice driving the van and property trailer?
  2. Can we improve communications involving property pack outs for transfers?
  3. Discussion about OJT’s learning property
  4. Discussion about having Supervisors spend a day in property and really see what they do
  5. 4 times this week pack outs did not get done in time and now we have to mail the property
  6. Discussion about making offenders footlocker more often.  Too much property being stored in Property for packrat offenders
  7. When can we get new footlockers?
  8. Linkedin/MoLearning
  9. Pulse Survey

Questions asked by Staff / Topics Discussed – 4PM meeting

  1. There is a problem with the sun shining through the Dining Room windows in the morning.  Depending on where you are standing, everyone else is a silhouette surrounded by sunshine.  Can we put tinting/blinds/an awning up to control the sunshine.  Same problem on the Education front door – can’t see who is entering unless you are right there.
  2. Meals are frequently delayed due to running out of food.  Explained the meal planning process.  Then a discussion about having offenders sign up for meals and we cook just over that number who signed up.
  3. Discussion about vocational training opportunities at MECC, current and future
  4. Is there any discussion at Central Office about training skills for offenders who can’t finish their HiSET?  Some people just can’t do school, but they need a skill for release.  We currently seem to only allow offenders who have an education score of 1.
  5. MoLearning and the 2020 training requirements
  6. Ad-Seg programming/offender tablets/ Ashland University
  7. Pulse Survey

Important Dates

Holidays

New Year’s Day – Wednesday, January 1st

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Monday, January 20th

 


HiSET graduates
HiSET graduates

November 2019

Big News

MECC Culinary Arts, HiSET, and Horticulture Graduation 11.6.2019

It’s graduation time again. Nervous excitement fills the room as the Culinary Arts, HiSET, and Horticulture graduates await their opportunity to collect their certificate of Achievement in which everyone had been working so hard to receive.

The graduates slowly enter the visiting room to be greeted and to receive their cap & gown.

Pictures, graduates! The graduates line up in their perspective groups to have picture after picture taken in order to get that “perfect” group photo.

Culinary arts graduates
Culinary arts graduates

After photos are taken, the graduates line up by groups, again, to get ready for the graduation walk to their seats before their names are called to collect their well earned “rolled up pieces of paper.”

The guests arrive. The graduates patiently watch their family and friends walk in and take their seats at the wonderfully decorated tables.

Here comes the musical cue for the graduates to enter in formation as they make way to their seats. When everyone takes seat, the teachers introduce the honor students and then the valedictorian.

The valedictorian is called to speak. He opens with recognition of the hard work that each graduate put forth to get to this day. He also shares the difficulties in which he and others endured in finding the time and place to study in the prison environment. He ends with words of encouragement for the betterment of his fellow graduates.

The time has finally cone for each graduate to be called by name to walk towards the front of the room  to shake hands and collect their “rolled up piece of paper.” But wait, now the graduates seem to see this “rolled up piece of paper” as something more than that. It now has meaning. It is now “The Certificate” of hard work and dedication that was put forth.

Horticulture graduates
Horticulture graduates

Going back to school can be difficult enough for any adult. But when you’re in a prison environment, the level of difficulty may be greater as the student must struggle with when and where he/she can do homework with the least amount of distractions. How easily is it to find their specific studying style? Is their cellmate accommodating if they want to stay up at night to do homework? So many questions of concern enter their minds as they work diligently to better themselves.

Congratulations to all of you for your hard work and dedication!

Employee of the Month

CO I Willie Randall

OSA Penny Ryland

New Team Members

COI’s to start on November 18

James L. Cashdollar

Jalen A. Glenn

Christian E. Gourley

Rebecca A. Halverson

Brandy R. Harris

Rafael K. Koscak

Kali A. Stone

Staff Moves

CO I Thomas M. Ghirardi transferring to Missouri Eastern Correctional Center from Ozark Correctional Center will begin employment at MECC on Sunday, December 01, 2019

Training

[Updates]

Town Hall Report

Town Hall Report from meetings held on November 13, 2019

November 13th at 3:00pm – attendance was four. November 13th at 4:00pm – attendance was five.

Topics of discussion:

1) Review of Director Precythe’s visit

2) Corrections Way

3) Strategic Plan

4) ENGAGE 2.0

5) Drugs at MECC – can we get a body scanner?

6) Can we get LaunchCode into MECC?

7) Is the department going to get a recruitment effort to get former military?

8) Excitement about revamping and improving the FTO program – much needed

6) Changes to the front lobby – positive reviews

7) Talked a couple more people into enrolling in MoLearning

8) Happy to be getting raises but noted that we still trail most states

9) Staff happy to see that we are finally fixing and improving the institution

Important Dates

Holiday - Wednesday, December 25, 2019 - Christmas Day

 

Town Hall dates:

November 5th at 3:00pm with Director Precythe

November 13th at 8:00am with Warden Jennings

November 13th at 3:00pm with Warden Jennings

November 13th at 4:00pm with Warden Jennings


October 2019

Employee of the Month

COII Onyekachi Nwodo

AC Kevin Midkiff

New Team Members

CO I Keith A. Smith

CO I Kayla M. Wagner

CO II Chelesa R. Dowell

CO I Abigail M. Heinz #9351 MEC4124

CO I Jessica M. Chapa #9813 MEC4057

CO I Jynna N. Fritz #9659 MEC4027

CO I Brianna N. Sparkman #0274 MEC4020

CO I Zachary E. Forstmann #4019 MEC4106

CO I Chloe R. Daugherty #6126 MEC4113

Senior Office Support Assistant Khristine (Khris) M. Swisher

OSA Alicia M. Stephens #2217 ORG A414 MEC0030 HU#2

SOSA Khristine M. Swisher #3361 ORG A411 MEC0123

Promotions

Jillian C. Don Hill  promotes to Storekeeper II at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC).  Ms. Don Hill started her career in 2018 as a COOK II at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC) and promoted to Storekeeper I in December 2018. Ms. Don Hill will assume her new position on Sunday, October 27, 2019.

Retirements

[List]

Staff Moves

[Names, locations, dates]

Training

[Updates]

Town Hall Report

[Attendance numbers, topics]

Important Dates

Bake Sale – October 23rd thru October 24th to raise money for the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation.

Offender question and answer Town Hall  October 09 and October 22, 2019

November 11, 2019 Veteran’s Day

 


Corrections Employee Week

September 2019

Big News

Employee Appreciation Week  *  9/16/2019 – 9/20/2019

Dunking Booth 9/18/2019 * All proceeds go toward the charity CPOF, Correctional Peace Officers Foundation.

Employee of the Month

CO I Mark Powers

SK I Jillian Don Hill

Corrections Employee Week
Corrections Employee Week

Awards & Recognition

[Lifesaver awards, contest winners, etc.]

New Team Members

OSA’s

Anita L. Clausen

Tobey J. Adams Mailroom/Switchboard

CO I’s

Riccarda D. Boyd #2514 MEC4095

Steven L. Dildine #1808 MEC4182

Samuel U. Fuchs #1884 MEC4196

Van T. Harris #6908 MEC4189

Shayla N. Hunt #3592 MEC4123

Samuel B. Jones #0818 MEC4098

Hannah Le #8238 MEC4075

Michael W. Meisel #1206 13 MEC4167

Sapenaro, Daniel #7984 MEC4159

Timothy M. Shields #8125 MEC4195

Cory J. Swiecicki #9304 MEC4058

Lynnette R. White #8843 MEC4181

Demarco L. Williams #7716 MEC4136

Nicholas A. Cartwright #3219 MEC4039

Lori F. Collier #0323 MEC4020

Jacqueline R. Kitson #0501 MEC4176

Anne M. Ward #2139 MEC4114

COOK II ORG A417

David R. Mansfield #3876 MEC0044

Promotions

Cynthia Hygrade promotes from Associate Superintendent at TCSTL to Deputy Warden of Offender Management at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center effective September 29, 2019.

Ms. Hygrade began her career with the Missouri Department of Corrections as a Corrections Caseworker at MECC in January 2006, where she worked until being promoted to Probation and Parole Officer in February 2007. She promoted to Unit Supervisor at District EC in April 2012. Ms. Hygrade promoted to her current position as Associate Superintendent at TCSTL in June 2017. Ms. Hygrade has a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Lindenwood University, a Master’s Degree in Business Management from Fontbonne University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services from Fontbonne University.

Jacob M. Thoele promotes to Corrections Officer I at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC).

Mr. Thoele started his career in 2019 as a Cook II at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC).

Mr. Thoele will assume his new position on Sunday, September 29, 2019. When you see Mr. Thoele, please congratulate him on his promotion to Corrections Officer I.

Staff Moves

Shelby Brown from Office Support Assistant/Switchboard to Office Support Assistant Deputy Warden of Operations, Ms. Weaver, effective Sunday, September 15, 2019

Kara McKee from Warehouse Manager to Storekeeper II effective Sunday, September 29, 2019.

Important Dates

Town Hall Meeting

September 11th at 8:00am

September 11th at 3:00pm

September 11th at 4:00pm


August 2019

Employee of the Month

CO II Darla Bowles

AOSA Amy Coleman-Moore

Promotions

Emily R. Haslag promotes from Institutional Activity Coordinator to Corrections Case Manager I at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC) starting July 07, 2019. Ms Haslag began her career with MECC as a Store Keeper I in 2014 and promoted to Store Keeper II in 2018. Also in 2018, Ms Haslag promoted to Institutional Activity Coordinator.

CO I Brian Hinzpeter promotes to Garage Supervisor effective Sunday, July 21, 2019. Mr. Hinzpeter began his career as a Correctional Officer I at MECC in 2018.

CO I Drew Wion promotes to CO II and is scheduled to begin on Sunday July 21, 2019. Mr. Wion began his career with MoDOC in 2018 as a CO I at MECC.

CO I Onyekachi Nwodo  promotes to CO II and will begin on Sunday, July 21, 2019. Mr. Nwodo began his career with MoDOC in 2018 as a CO I at MECC.

CO I Chrisopher Graf promotes to CO II and will begin on Sunday, July 21, 2019. Mr. Graf began his career with MoDOC in 2015 as a CO I at MECC.

COI Elizabeth Massey promotes to COII and will begin on Sunday, July 21, 2019. Ms. Massey began her career with MoDOC in 2013 as a CO I at MECC.

CO I Corey Felty promotes to CO II and will begin on Sunday July 21, 2019. Mr. Felty began his career with MoDOC in 2015 as a COI at Farmington Correctional Center.

CO I Jessica Polakovic promotes to Recreation Officer I as of Sunday, July 29, 2019 at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center (MECC). CO I Polakovic started her career at MECC as a COI in 2019.

CO I Jesse Amsden promotes to Institutional Activity Coordinator at MECC and will assume his position on Sunday, August 11, 2019. Mr. Amsden began his career as a Corrections Officer I in 2007.


May 2019

Employees of the Month

Cook I La Tonya Ming
LaTonya started her career at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center May 29, 2018 as a Correctional Officer I. She then transferred to Food Service on April 17, 2019 as a Cook I, where she is a major asset to the department. She always has a smile and professional attitude to share with all who have the opportunity to work next to her.

CO I Peter Sluis
Peter started his DOC career October 31, 2005 as a Correctional Officer I at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center and has worked many posts throughout his DOC career at MECC. He proved to be dependable, as well as professional. He always performed his job duties with a smile and with the most exceptional of standards.

Classification Staff Moves

Roberta D. Sappington transferred from FCC to Corrections Case Manager I at MECC. 

Promotions

Andrew D. Hill from Labor Supervisor to Locksmith at MECC

Important Dates

May 27, 2019 (Memorial Day)

New Programs

New Programs to MECC include:

Culinary Arts and Professional Gardening

*20 minute Beginner Yoga classes for staff members three days per week during lunch break