News of the state Board of Corrections (BOC) seeking an additional $18 million for the Governor’s biennial budget gives Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett some optimism about jail funds.
“If the unified system is to survive, there needs to be funds set aside for its continuation,” he told the Multi-county Jail Authority meeting at Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset Feb. 11.
The Jail Authority has been struggling with prospects of limited funds in the next fiscal year because of the uncertainty in state budget figures and implementing of the proposed statewide unified correctional system.
Reporting on proceedings he has been attending in Augusta, Brackett said the financial outlook could help Lincoln County taxpayers. If the BOC has its request granted, there would virtually be no increase for the county side, he said.
“The other piece that’s positive is the BOC needs this jail to be an active part of the system,” he said. “The next few weeks are going to be crucial. We’ll be looking for more budget figures.”
Otherwise, Two Bridges could be dealing with zero state funding. “It’s pretty dismal for us as it is for other counties,” Brackett said.
Out of a $62.5 million state corrections budget, the jail could receive three to five percent, as much as $3.1 million or possibly not quite $3.5 million in the first year.
“The goal is to have a concrete number,” he said.
On the administrative side, Major Mark Anderson, assistant correctional administrator reported Two Bridges currently has two positions for correctional officers being held open until administrators see what the fiscal year 2009-2010 budget is going to look like.
On Feb. 11, the inmate count amounted to 37 from Lincoln County and 34 from Sagadahoc County and included 59 state Dept. of Corrections (DOC) inmates and 14 U.S. Marshall inmates.
Anderson said there was only one of the nine general population beds left at the jail and Two Bridges would be receiving three more state DOC inmates Feb. 12. “We haven’t stopped taking their inmates,” he said.
Reporting the results of Two Bridges’ biennium inspection, Anderson said the jail obtained a 100 percent compliance level with applicable mandatory standards, which county jails must meet to maintain an existing license/certification. The DOC has 136 mandatory standards and 129 essential standards.
Initially Two Bridges was in non-compliance with two mandatory standards based on the inability to prove a qualified authority completed two designated safety inspections. However, the jail corrected the deficiencies with a state Fire Marshall’s Office inspection Dec. 9, 2008, according to Jan. 7 DOC letter.
The jail gained a 96.9 percent score in meeting the essential standards missing a 100 percent because of non-compliance with four essential standards.
The DOC stated the purpose of the inspection was to verify the actual environmental conditions, sanitation and cleanliness, safety and security practices, staffing levels, operational practices, staff/inmate relations, and that food services comply with the written policies and procedures, documented practices, and standards.
“The inspection team observed that staff and inmates shared a respectful and professional relationship. Staff were observed providing direct supervision to inmates, as well as ‘working along with inmates’ completing facility jobs and cleaning details,” the report stated.
In other business last week, the Jail Authority voted 8-2 in favor of repealing the bylaws regarding the two-year term limit to allow Lincoln Commissioner Sheridan Bond to continue serving as chairman for one more year.
The rationale for keeping Bond for another year concerned the current uncertainty about the state corrections budget for fiscal year 2009-2010 and complexity of funding issues as a result. The feeling of advocates for the measure was that Bond has been dealing with the perplexing situation that requires some continuity in leadership at this time.
Bond said he had no desire of going beyond one more year after having served for two years.
“I’d step aside right now,” he said. “I have no ax to grind.”
