A kitchen bakery program at the Marin County Jail that is saving taxpayers roughly $50,000 a year while providing inmates with job skills won the Civic Center’s top innovation award Tuesday.

In a case of a program that saves taxpayer money while providing vocational training, the jail bakery was launched in 2013 to cut costs after the county spent nearly $50,000 on 38,000 loaves of bread to help feed inmates the previous year.

Costs can fluctuate widely along with jail population. Officials, realizing bread was among the largest food service expenses at the jail, spent $129,000 on construction, equipment and related improvements. After more than a year of operation, officials said the bakery will pay for itself in three years.

“On average we’re saving about $50,000 a year,” Undersheriff Mike Ridgway said as he accepted an “Inny” or Innovation Recognition Award from county supervisors. The bakery also saves money that would otherwise be spent at Juvenile Hall.

Ridgway noted that while top officials often find themselves at the podium to accept awards, the honors go to line staffers who do the work, and he thanked a host of jail employees in the audience for a job well done.

“You all eat a lot of bread,” board president Katie Rice noted.

Aside from saving money on bread purchases, the program gives the county “nutritional control” of ingredients to ensure a healthy diet, and provides inmates in the baking program with skills they can use later. Four inmates have earned their bakers’ and food handling certifications.

Assistant County Administrator Daniel Eilerman, key driver of the innovation awards program, said a panel of county managers gave a runner-up award to Dan Miller and the county Elections Office, for a system allowing online disclosure of campaign finance reports and statements of economic interest officials are required to file.

An honorable mention went to the Health and Human Services Department for a “veggie fest” and community picnic program aimed at combatting childhood obesity.

“The Department of Health and Human Services should be noted for its consistent and high-quality applications in all three years of the Inny Awards since its inception… It is clear the department continues to foster an atmosphere of creativity, engagement and innovation in service to the community,” Eilerman reported.