During a regular meeting of the Lincoln County Commissioners May 3, Lincoln County Administrator John O’Connell updated the board on his recent testimony in support of two legislative bills that could alter the landscape of jail consolidation.
In throwing his support behind LD 422, or “An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Tax Assessment for Correctional Services in Lincoln and Sagadahoc County,” O’Connell said although Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset is “arguably the best run jail in the state,” the financial burden is greater for Lincoln County.
In a record of O’Connell’s testimony obtained by The Lincoln County News, he cited a Revenue Control Report for the end of March that showed Lincoln County paying $222,640.22 monthly versus $166,232.92 for Sagadahoc County.
“Using a conservative formula inmate count of 40 for Lincoln and a 30-day month, our daily cost per inmate is in excess of $180,” O’Connell at the April public hearing in Augusta. “I believe the numbers speak for themselves.”
Lincoln County is currently suing Sagadahoc County over the operating cost. That litigation is still in discovery, O’Connell said previously.
In addition to LD 422, O’Connell testified in favor of LD 1178, a bill co-authored by District 53 Rep. Les Fossel (R-Alna), which calls for a full repeal of jail consolidation.
In his testimony, O’Connell said jail consolidation was never a unified system, the inverse debt requirement has not been funded as required, and the state’s revenue picture for the next biennium is “glum.”
“It’s always hard to tell how these things go,” said O’Connell May 3. “I do feel the information as presented was absorbed.”
In addition to O’Connell, Commissioners William Blodgett and Lynn Gilley Orne were in attendance and legislators have scheduled a work session for May 6 in Augusta.
In other business, Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett received permission to sign off on a $2000 Bureau of Highway Safety Grant.
“This will go mainly toward seat belt and driving under the influence enforcement over Memorial Day weekend,” said Brackett.
The $2000 will cover overtime pay for officers and other additional staffing concerns.
Brackett and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Ken Mason also presented the board with sealed bids for a new pickup truck for the department.
After a cursory examination of the proposals, the Commissioners asked Brackett to examine them to see if the final price reflected a “trade in” allowance for an existing truck.
During his usual update, Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Tim Pellerin said the Lincoln County Search and Rescue team completed a successful training session hosted by the Maine Warden Service.
Pellerin also introduced his Asst. to the Director Tod Hartung, a former Naval commander, who was recently hired for the newly created position.
Despite the pressing business at hand, both the Commissioners and LCSO officials took time to comment on Administrator O’Connell’s sartorial sense, specifically a boldly colored necktie that Major Mason described as “something from the Kora Shrine Circus.” O’Connell, taking the fashion comments in stride, said the tie was an homage to spring weather.
The Lincoln County Commissioners will next meet on Tues., May 17 at 9 a.m.