Meeting Tuesday, Sept. 19, Lincoln County Commissioners approved a contract with the town of Boothbay for the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission to assist the town’s planning board incorporating L.D. 2003 changes in their ordinances.
According to information provided by Planning Commission Planner Emily Rabbe, a completed draft of the amended ordinances is anticipated to be submitted to the town the last week of December or the first week in January. The goal is to have the changes on the annual town meeting warrant and approved by the voters before the state’s July, 1, 2024 implementation deadline.
The cost of the contract is $3,510 and Boothbay can submit the contract to the Department of Economic and Community Development Housing Opportunity Program to receive reimbursement for expenses incurred for L.D. 2003 implementation.
The Planning Commission will also assist in the public hearing process for the proposed changes, which is expected to be held in early 2024, according to Rabbe.
The commissioners also approved job description for a land use specialist to work with the county planning commission. The land use specialist will work with municipalities to move forward housing and land use initiatives at the local and county levels, according to Rabbe. The position’s duties also include assisting communities with ordinance development related to housing and subdivisions and provide guidance to local planning boards.
The commissioners, using American Rescue Plan Act funds and some funding from a Department of Economic and Community Development Provider Grant, approved funding for a land use specialist as a three-year limited position.
According to Rabbe, the state’s Housing Opportunity Program has notified the regional planning commission the commission has been conditionally awarded a service provider grant to assist Lincoln County towns on housing and land use issues. The amount of the grant to the county is not known at this time.
Sheriff’s office
The commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding between the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Boothbay Harbor Police Department to provide mutual law enforcement assistance on a temporary basis, beginning Oct. 1 and ending Dec. 31, 2023.
Sheriff Todd Brackett told the commissioners the memorandum may need to be extended into 2024, due to staffing issues at the Boothbay Harbor Police Department, and to allow for new hires to attend the police academy.
The jail count at Two Bridges Regional Jail, as of Sept. 19 was 150 inmates, Brackett said. The population includes 18 Lincoln County inmates; 27 from Sagadahoc County; 13 Knox County, 55 Penobscot County, 33 Waldo County, and four federal inmates.
In Other Business
The commissioners approved a $20,000 grant to Monhegan for its broadband project, using ARPA funds; $3,051 for laptop replacements; accepted a bid from DAR Construction, LLC, of Woolwich, to build a sally-port for Lincoln County Recycling, at a cost of $60,850.
The commissioners accepted the resignation of paralegal Betty Cheff, in the district attorney’s office.
Gale Associates Engineering and Consulting firm of Portland was hired to do a structural assessment of the sheriff’s office.
