The state budget shortfall has trickled down to Two Bridges Regional Jail with the new unified system under the Dept. of Corrections that could mean layoffs and pod closures.
Corrections Administrator Mark Westrum told the Multi-county Jail Authority during their regular monthly meeting Dec. 10 the newly-formed state Board of Corrections visited the jail earlier in the day and gave the Wiscasset facility the highest rating possible of 100 percent. That is the good news, he said.
However, Westrum, added, “The bad news is we’re not going to be able to keep some people employed here.”
Some of the staff members who might be affected by the layoffs include those recently hired as corrections officers. Westrum said he spoke with staff about what could happen next year if the state defaults on its expected support of the jail.
“If we’re looking at a unified system, somebody is going to have to pay the freight,” he said.
As an initial summation of the critical prospect, Westrum said the anticipated reduction in state revenue could well affect as many as 8-9 positions and mean a shutdown of at least two housing pods, including the female inmate housing pod. If that happens, he said it could mean having to board out female inmates.
“If we have to lay off eight positions, that will be tight, but we’re going to have to make it work,” he said. “We’re all going to have learn to do more with less. We’re going to have to work closely with the finance committee and other committees.”
Without the needed support from the state, the jail is not taking in any additional boarders from outside Lincoln and Sagadahoc County, Westrum said
“It they can’t figure out how we’re going to run this place, then we’re going to have to start shutting down half the place,” he said.
During the session, Sagadahoc County Administrator Pamela Corrigan requested immediate payment of Sagadahoc’s “proportional share of any and all municipal financing bond refund monies” the jail already has or will have and surplus funds that existed as of April 2008, when the jail consolidation legislation became effective.
As the jail authority deals with the revenue shortfalls this year, Corrigam said, “The (Sagadahoc) Board of Commissioners feel that it is only fair to tell the Authority that the county will not be in a position at the end of this budget year to provide any ‘bail-out’ funds should they be necessary.”
Corrigan said her board intends to support the jail in efforts to persuade the Board of Corrections (BOC) to use state funds to make the jail budget whole at the end of the financial year.
Her board requested written details of the action steps and timeline for proposed jail cutbacks Westrum mentioned along with any other cost saving measures.
Corrigan said Sagadahoc commissioners also want an accounting of the year-to-day revenues and expenses with a comparison to revenues and expenses of the approved budget and the projected end-of-year totals.
In addition, Sagadahoc commissioners seek a “face-to-face meeting” with the authority to discuss the many severe corrections related issues that the jail and Lincoln and Sagadahoc Counties face, according to Corrigan.
Corrigan gave the authority a written statement about her commissioners’ requests in the form of a letter to the jail authority dated Dec. 10, the same day of the monthly meeting.
Lincoln Commissioner Bill Blodgett expressed concern about the cap put on raising taxes for more than each county’s proportional share of the jail’s operational costs. Currently Lincoln’s proportion is at 57 percent, but adjustments have been made at the end of the year.
The authority’s monthly session in January will be an organizational meeting, and authority member Katharine Martin-Savage recommended keeping Bond as chairman for continuity during the current critical period. Lincoln Sheriff Todd Brackett has agreed to stay on as vice chairman.