Commissioners learn of state funding cuts

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — The Aroostook County Commissioners learned Oct. 5 that reductions to the state’s Board of Corrections budget in the near future.
    County Administrator Doug Beaulieu, who was recently appointed to the board by Governor Paul LePage, said a cut of $335,000 for fiscal year 2013 was looming on the horizon, which could have an impact on the Aroostook County Jail. The cuts were discussed at a recent BOC meeting.
    “The board basically voted to give up the $335,000 without even deciding where it will come from,” Beaulieu said. “I said I would not advocate taking that money out of our capital improvements. We have a system-wide capital improvement budget of $800,000 for 15 facilities. We are skating on extremely thin ice and poised to have some problems in the near future.”
    Beaulieu said he would keep the Commissioners in the loop on future BOC discussions of the budget cuts.
    The Commissioners also discussed snow removal for roads in the Madawaska Lake area. According to Beaulieu, the Maine Department of Transportation has handled snow removal for this area.
    The County received bills of $1,800 in 2009 and $1,848 in 2010 from MDOT for this service, but last year, the bill came to $5,286. That spike in billing prompted the County’s public works director to recommend sending the snow removal out to bid to see if a lower rate.
    “We did not have a written contract with them (MDOT),” Beaulieu said. “If the bids we receive are less than $5,286, then there is a good chance we will go with one of them.”
    The County received two bids for the job. Ryan Forbes of Stockholm bid $4,950 per year for three years, while John Babin Construction of St. Agatha bid $4,700 per year for three years.
    “I’d guess Paul Bernier’s instincts on this were pretty good,” Beaulieu said. “I don’t think this will create any heartburn with MDOT. They really don’t want to plow those roads.”
    Commissioners then voted to table action on the bids, giving Beaulieu the authority to review both bids thoroughly and award it to the lowest bidder who meets all of the County’s criteria.
    In other agenda items, the board:
    • Approved a new, three-year collective bargaining agreement was approved for the Teamsters Local Union 340. According to Adams, the agreement has been in the works “for quite some time.” The contract is retroactive to
July 1.
    • Ratified a three-year contract agreement with the New England Police Benevolent Association Local 601 collective bargaining agreement for patrol officers.
    • Appointed Neal Adams to the Northern Maine Regional Airport Citizen’s Advisory Group.
    • Discussed fire and rescue calls for the North Lakes area. “We had six calls in 2008, but that jumped to 22 calls in 2009 and 24 in 2010,” Beaulieu said. “So far this year, we have had 38 calls. Chief Darren Woods thinks there are a number of factors at play. The biggest is community confidence in the department.”
    • Approved the hiring of Nicole Roy as a part-time cook for the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton.
    The next regular meeting of the Aroostook County Commissioners is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 19 at the Sinclair Fire Station at 5:30 p.m.