Staff Writer
SINCLAIR — The Aroostook County Commissioners changed venues on Oct. 21, meeting in Sinclair in conjunction with the election for the Sinclair Sanitary District Board of Trustees; Alan Dearborn was re-elected to the position. During the public comment portion of the meeting, the Commissioners were thanked for their support for Sinclair in obtaining a housing assistance grant through the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Community Development Block Grant.
During his County Administrator’s Report, Doug Beaulieu provided the commissioners with his monthly update on the Maine Pre Trial program and informed them about the previous Maine County Commissioner’s Association (MCCA) meeting. There were only about three items that had potential to directly impact Aroostook County: MCCA dues, potential county jail funding, and a potential lawsuits by MacImage of Maine LLC, which is seeking to obtain deed records from the counties in an electronic format for little or no cost.
MacImage of Maine LLC, owned by John Simpson, has already successfully sued Hancock County to obtain the public documents according to Beaulieu.
Beaulieu also informed the commissioners about jail boarding costs, stating that prisoners had to be boarded out during the last fiscal year to York County as directed by the Maine Board of Corrections. Beaulieu was instructed by the board to submit the bill to finance personnel, which he did; the County has recently received a bill from York County for housing the prisoners. Beaulieu is currently working with the Board of Correction to reach a resolution.
He also reported to commissioners the awarding of a vehicle bid to York’s of Houlton for a 2010 Crown Victoria which will be used to transfer prisoners.
The commissioners also received an update on the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) from EMA Director Vern Ouellette. According to Ouellette, actions currently being discussed by the FCC regarding the State Communications Network and Narrowbanding Requirements would not have a significant impact on the county.
The commissioners also approved the hiring of Kim Ouellette for the full-time position of Victim Witness Advocate and tabled the scheduling of tax abatement hearings.
The next meeting of the County Commissioners will meet this evening at 5:30 in Caribou.
