Lincoln County commissioners rotate their board chairman on an annual basis, and this year, Hamilton Meserve receives the appointment. On Jan. 2, Commissioners Mary Trescot, who was present, and William Blodgett, who attended via Zoom, voted Meserve as the new chairman. He succeeded Blodgett. 

In other action, Sheriff Todd Brackett reported an influx of new inmates from Knox County to Two Bridges Regional Jail. The jail has 166 prisoners – 22 from Lincoln and 14 from Sagadahoc. Knox has sent Two Bridges 30 inmates. “They are experiencing staffing issues in the past couple of weeks and they are also experiencing some illness. They sent all their male inmates to Two Bridges, but I think this should be a temporary situation,” Brackett said. 

Besides Knox, the jail has inmates from four other locations. Three Maine counties: Penobscot, 58; Waldo, 36; and Oxford, two; and four federal inmates. Meserve asked about Two Bridges Regional Jail’s current staffing status.  Brackett reported the jail has a “near full” staff. “Last I checked, there were four vacancies, but there were also a few in the pipeline,” he said. 

Commissioners also granted Brackett’s request to extend current municipal animal control officer contracts an additional 30 days. The contracts expired Dec. 31. However, seven municipalities have concerns about new language which resulted in the extension.

Brackett told commissioners a provision regarding a 5% increase for animal control services was agreed upon, but a proposed language amendment resulted in a request for more review. In past contracts, the county and municipalities assumed joint responsibility for all animal control calls. But a proposed change, recommended by Maine Municipal Association’s Risk Pool, would delegate all responsibility to the municipality. 

The Sheriff’s Department met with seven town managers Dec. 16 regarding the new agreement. Brackett reported Wiscasset, Waldoboro and Damariscotta town officials wanted to seek a legal opinion prior to entering into an agreement. “It’s the indemnity language causing the delay. I’m not sure what the reason for the change is, but I think the towns want a legal opinion first,” he said.

Commissioners voted, 3-0, to extend the contract 30 days. Brackett will meet with the seven municipal officials later this month to continue negotiations.

Commissioners authorized a $10,399 payment to Cellbrite Software. Law enforcement uses the software to extract cell phone information. In past years, the sheriff’s department contracted with a firm to search cellular data. “This will allow us to investigate in-house,” Brackett said. “We can try it out for a year and see how it works.”

The sheriff’s department is using funds from a Fiscal Year 22 federal Homeland Security Grant for the software. After a year, the licensing would be a $4,000 annual fee.

Commissioners also renewed a $40,437.79 annual software agreement with Central Square Records Management Systems.  The software assists with managing the department’s mobile data unit, evidence management, and Computer Aided Dispatch. 

Another contractual payment is to RCM (Radio Communications Maine). This is the third of a five-year agreement for the Communications Center’s Zetron Maintenance Agreement. Each year, the county spends $9,514.80 on the service agreement.

Commissioners hired Jessica Prentiss as the new district attorney legal secretary. She begins work on Jan. 16.

Commissioners meet next at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16 in the courthouse.