John O’Connell, Lincoln County administrator, testified before the Maine legislature’s committee on criminal justice and public safety on March 23 to support LD 186, a bill that addresses changes to Maine’s county jail system.

O’Connell’s remarks were joined by those of Joel Merry, president of the Maine Sheriffs’ Association and sheriff of Sagadahoc County, and Kevin Joyce, Cumberland County sheriff, all of whom testified in support of the proposed legislation.

Citing his experience as “one of the founding directors of the Lincoln Sagadahoc Multicounty Jail Authority,” O’Connell pointed out that the “ideal solution should be equitable to all parties: the state, the counties, the property taxpayers, receiving jails and sending jails.”  

“Two Bridges Regional Jail is unique in that it takes in more inmates from other counties than come from Lincoln and Sagadahoc combined,” O’Connell said. “Yet Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties pay 70 percent of operating costs while having less than 50 percent of the inmates.”

O’Connell cited the current fiscal year’s operating budget of $6.8 million, with $4.8 million coming from the two counties and $2 million coming from “other payments.”

“But the recurring and the immediate need is funding,” O’Connell said.

Empathizing with the legislators that this was “no small task” with “no easy answers,” O’Connell also voiced support of LD 234 which, if approved, would provide a supplemental $2.5 million to cover costs for Maine’s jails until June 30.

He thanked the committee members and closed by saying that LD 186 was “hopefully the first step in reaching a viable, sustainable and financially stable county jail system.