Acting SCC warden eases in

Sierra Conservation Center’s new acting warden, Frank Chavez, is a week into his new job.

The Southern Californian served as chief deputy warden for several years.
   

Chavez must still undergo a lengthy vetting process before he can be formally appointed as warden by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chavez said Friday from his office at SCC.

As chief deputy warden, he was second in command and responsible for the day-to-day operations of the prison and its camps.

As acting warden, Chavez is responsible for the overall safety and well-being of staff and inmates and oversight of the 19 fire camps throughout California. He also oversees SCC’s $148 million annual budget.

He attends several meetings each day with executive managers, medical staff and other department heads, and works to maintain a “good pulse” on what’s happening in the institution.

“Each day, there’s different things going on,” Chavez said.

For example, Chavez is now overseeing a roof replacement for the Administrative Segregation Building.

Not only does Chavez believe in public service, but in community involvement.

This time of year is filled with many fundraising activities by the staff including a coat drive, bake sale and gift collection for foster children and the elderly in local long-term care facilities, Chavez said.

Chavez lives in Calaveras County and has been involved with the Calaveras County Grand Jury, the Murphys Community Club, the Calaveras County Sober Grad Foundation and the Lake Tulloch Community Club.

A father of three, Chavez has also been involved in the Bret Harte High School community.

“I’m very active in the community ... as much as I can,” Chavez said.

Chavez, in his late 50s, began his career in corrections in 1974.

He saw a flyer advertising for correctional officers in Los Angeles.
 

“I thought, ‘Wow, that looks pretty interesting,’ ” Chavez said.

He started at California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi as a correctional officer then was promoted in 1979 to correctional program supervisor. In 1981, Chavez was promoted to sergeant at the Soledad Correctional Training Facility and in 1985 moved up to lieutenant.   

When he began his career, there were only 12 prisons and now there are 33.

In 1987, Chavez was promoted to limited term captain of the California Medical Facility in Vacaville.

In 1990, he became a captain at California State Prison, Solano, and was promoted to facility captain in 1994.

Chavez came to SCC in 1997 as associate warden.

In 2007, Chavez retired but came back to work after only four months of retirement. He was reinstated earlier this year, Chavez said.    

“It’s been a very long, good career.”

As acting warden he will earn $129,108 annually.

Chavez said the biggest challenges he faces as acting warden is keeping up staff morale during this trying budgetary time and maintaining fire camp beds — keeping the camps populated.

“It’s very difficult to manage the prison when you’re having to do without,” Chavez said.

According to spokesman Lt. Kevin Wise, SCC houses approximately 2,200 low-risk inmates in camps throughout the state.

The fire camp inmates cut fire lines on hand crews and “do the work no one else wants to do,” Wise said.

They are paid $1 per hour while on fires, Wise said.

“(It) saves the taxpayers a ton of money,” Chavez said.

The most rewarding part of his job is his staff, Chavez said.

“You meet some good people,” he said.

“Being the warden is good for me, but I depend on the employees.”

Chavez said he depends on his staff to do the right things, and his job is to support them “to make sure this place is running.”

“It’s been a good place, a good fit here,” Chavez said.