Sheriff Todd Brackett, right, presents the 2020 Maine Sheriffs’ Association Community Service Award to Healthy Lincoln County for their work during the pandemic in 2020 at the Lincoln County Commissioners meeting on Jan. 18. Left to right, Director of Healthy Lincoln County Kersey Robinson, Substance Use Prevention Project Coordinator Larissa Hannan. (Charlotte Boynton photo)
The Lincoln County Commissioners meeting Jan. 18 began with presentations by Sheriff Todd Brackett. Representatives from Healthy Lincoln County were presented with the 2020 Maine Sheriff’s Association Community Service Award, and two former deputies were presented with retirement plaques and thanked for their years of service to the county.
Healthy Lincoln County provides services in substance use prevention, nutrition education, and healthy food opportunities county-wide.
Brackett told commissioners he nominated the Healthy Lincoln County group because their work in 2020 was nothing short of outstanding. In 2020, most providers were reducing services and limiting contact. Healthy Lincoln County expanded its programming and collaboration while finding ways to maintain many of their programs already in place.
According to Brackett’s presentation, Healthy Lincoln County was also involved with the formation of the Lincoln County Food Initiative during 2020. The program provided food to both individuals and food pantries.
Brackett wrote in his nomination letter to the Maine Sheriff’s Association regarding the food initiative program, “Although the program was not developed solely by Healthy Lincoln County, their ability to collaborate with others was a key reason that those within the restaurant, education, charity, government, and public health sectors were able to successful pull this off.”
Sheriff Todd Brackett, right, presents former Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputies retirement plaques, during the Lincoln County Commissioners meeting, Jan. 18. Left to right, Brian Collamore, and Chad Gilbert. (Charlotte Boynton photo)
Brackett commented on their willingness to continue working with the sheriff’s office on the food initiative program while continuing their joint substance use prevention work during a pandemic should not go unrecognized.
Brackett spoke of the partnership between the sheriff’s office and Healthy Lincoln County. In his nomination letter he wrote, “When many doors were being closed during the calls for police reform in 2020 Healthy Lincoln County continued to open them by continuing our partnership and inviting us to participate with their new programs. These open doors have strengthened our position with the citizens of Lincoln County and provided us opportunities to foster new relationships with both the public and provide sectors.”
Brackett presented Kelsey Robinson, director of Healthy Lincoln County a figurine of an American bald eagle clutching an American flag mounted on a plaque.
Brackett also presented retired deputies Brian Collamore and Chad Gilbert with plaques commemorating their service to Lincoln County. Collamore retired with 21 years of service, and Gilbert retired after 19 years of service.
Brackett shared the nicknames the two retired deputies had within the office. Collamore’s nickname was Collie, and Gilbert’s was “the crime fighter.” Brackett said whenever he would ask Gilbert what he was doing, he would reply, “Just fighting crime, Sheriff.”
Brackett said, “So we called him the crime fighter.”
