By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — The Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department has added five part-time corrections officers and a full-time deputy.
The Aroostook County Commissioners approved the additions at their Dec. 19 meeting in Houlton.
Peter Johnson was unanimously chosen as a new Sheriff’s deputy. Johnson has been a full-time officer for five years, most recently serving with the Presque Isle Police Department. He also has experience with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“During the budget process, we were able to add one new deputy beginning January, 2014,” Sheriff James Madore said. “We wanted a full-time, academy trained person for obvious reasons.”
Five individuals applied for the position, Madore said.
The five part-time corrections officers hired were Allen Green of Monticello, Theodore Bowers of Houlton, Dennis Casey III of Oakfield, Jordan Wotton of Houlton and Timothy Chase of Houlton.
“We always have a need for additional corrections officers,” Sheriff Madore said.
County Administrator Doug Beaulieu informed the commissioners that the Board of Corrections approved an $80.3 million budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014. The budget featured no increase in funding for the many jails throughout the state.
Beaulieu said he opposed the budget because it would mean the Aroostook County Jail would be forced to close by April 1, if additional funds were not approved. He stated the ACJ has been under-funded for at least the past six years. The BOC passed the budget by a vote of 4-2.
“I pointed out to my colleagues, that I could not support that budget in good faith, because it would mean our jail would have to close,” Beaulieu said. “For six years, the Aroostook County Jail has not had a sufficient level of funding to get through the year. We have always had to go back to the board and request a ‘kicker’ payment. It’s very embarrassing and it’s just not a thoughtful way to run an organization. We have been very prudent with our funds.”
Beaulieu informed the Commissioners that he would draft a letter to the Aroostook County delegation in Augusta, seeking their support in securing additional funds for the jail.
In other agenda items, the board:
• Reviewed six bids it received for a new, full-size four-wheel drive pickup for the Sheriff’s Department. Yorks of Houlton was the low bidder at $24,393. According to Beaulieu, the truck will be used for covert operations for the Sheriff’s Department. Other bids received were: Valley Motors of Fort Kent, $28,997; Percy’s Auto Sales of Presque Isle, $32,100; Pelletier Ford of Fort Kent, $25,805; Griffeth Ford of Presque Isle, $25,180; and Carroll’s Auto Sales of Presque Isle, $29,389. The bids were tabled to be reviewed by the County Administrator and awarded to the lowest bidder.
• Approved a land lease between Maine Public Service and the County to use a portion of the Stockholm municipal parking lot. The lease will be for $450 per month for a period of about six months. According to Beaulieu, MPS will be replacing telephone poles in the Stockholm-Madawaska Lake area and required a place to set up their equipment. The money the County receives from this effort will be placed in a capital account for fire department equipment in that area.
• Granted an overload weight limit waiver to the Maine Department of Transportation to use the bridge in Sinclair.
The County Commissioners will hold an organizational meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at noon in Houlton. The next regular meeting is Thursday, Jan. 23 at 4:30 p.m. in Fort Kent.
