County EMA Director Tim Pellerin kept county commissioners guessing what he held in a cardboard box and suggested it might be something of a suspicious nature.
However, his introduction to the contents was all in fun. The box actually contained a smoke detector, one of 250 to be given free to the county.
Pellerin said an insurance company contacted him about the donated items, which he would distribute to each town in the county for use with their respective General Assistance programs. He said he would give each town a dozen or so of them.
Pellerin also gave the board an update Tuesday about the heating and other assistance citizens can obtain this winter by calling the 2-1-1 number, which is an information resource to direct people to the right organization or agency that can meet their needs.
People who seek such help can call the number any time, since someone is there to answer calls 24 hours every day, he said.
He said there has been a 70 percent increase in the number of calls to the special resource network number or an average 75 calls per day received from Lincoln County residents.
A majority of the callers from Lincoln County have been requesting utility assistance and mental health assistance.
Some 10,000 heating brochures with many numbers for people to call for assistance this winter were being delivered Tuesday to town offices, local fire departments, hospitals, libraries, local civic organizations, and doctors’ offices.
Pellerin also reported 43 attendees at Instant Command System training classes Aug. 27-Sept. 17 for Newcastle, Damariscotta, Waldoboro, South Bristol, Alna, Woolwich, and the Red Cross.
He said there were 35 people attending classes Oct. 22-Nov. 12 for Boothbay Harbor, Southport, Boothbay, Bristol, Alna, Westport Island, Whitefield, Wiscasset, Dresden, and Bremen.
There were also eight people in attendance for classes Nov. 13-Nov. 12 for Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Other business
The board agreed to the purchase of a Peterbilt roll off truck for the county recycling center at the bid price of $97,554. Recycling center supervisor Mike Thompson said the bid includes a hoist.
The board also agreed to the purchase of two cell phones for the maintenance department which supervisor Jim Hoppler requested to replace pagers. He said the cell phones would enable more immediate contact with callers, especially in the event of emergency situations.
Commissioners postponed a decision on a request from Sheriff Todd Brackett for a cell phone contract. McMahon advised that any new contract should have the same time limits, so that by 2010, the county can have one contract for all phones.
The board okayed the appointment of Chastity Krah-Hagar for a regular position as victim-witness advocate for the District Attorney’s Office.
This week, the board is expected to make a final decision on a new county administrator to replace McMahon, who is retiring from the position he has held for the past two years. McMahon’s resignation is effective Dec. 12.
