The Lincoln County Commissioners authorized a short term contract with the Maine Criminal Justice Academy Dec. 20 to allow Sgt. Jason Nein to teach at the school from Jan. 2012 through May 2012. No replacement will be hired to take Nein’s place while he serves at the Academy.
On Dec. 6, Sheriff Todd Bracket had initially requested the Commissioners approve a two-year contract with the Academy and hire a temporary full-time employee to take Nein’s place.
He estimated the cost of the temporary employee would be $63,584. Brackett argued, however, that since the majority of Nein’s salary would be paid by the Academy, the County would essentially be paying the new employee with Nein’s regular salary, with no significant cost to the County.
Though the State’s reimbursement would only cover $65,000 of Nein’s $77,000 salary and benefits, Brackett argued that Nein would still work for the County 400 hours per year on accident reconstruction and other department needs. The remaining difference would go into training and equipping the new temporary employee.
“It is my thought that the cost for Sgt. Nein will be born by the County whether or not he is assigned to the Academy,” Brackett wrote in a memo to the Commissioners Dec. 6.
Asking the Commissioners to look beyond the dollar amount, Brackett said having Nein at the Academy would open up more training spots for LCSO employees.
Sending Nein to the Academy, Brackett said in the memo, would also emphasize the County’s “commitment to improving and sustaining the high quality training services provided by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to law enforcement professionals all over Maine.”
After negotiations with a labor consultant, the Commissioners determined, however, that the cost to the County was higher than anticipated.
While the board supported the idea of sending instructors to the Academy, Commissioner Sheridan Bond said the cost of the contract would be too much for the County to bear.
According to Bond, Nein’s travel time between the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Academy in Vassalboro, around 30-45 minutes one way, would be taken out of the 400 hours Nein would be working for the County.
Nein would also have to use a county police cruiser to reach the Academy, something the Commissioners said would tie up a needed vehicle. The County, Bond said, would also pay liability in the event of an accident, and fuel costs.
While the new employee and Nein would be paid these salaries under the current contract with the deputy’s union, Bond said they will most likely go up when County negotiations with the union are complete.
“The bottom line had to do with dollars and cents,” Bond said. “The County is not in the business of subsidizing the State.”
The Board will revisit the contract in May. The Commissioners may yet approve a longer contract, but the State would have to contribute more financially in any final deal.
“It would have to be an even swap,” Bond said.
