Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett provided the Lincoln County Commissioners with an update Tuesday about the jail bill currently being reviewed by the legislature.

The current version of LD 186 includes $14,688,000 in funding for the state’s jails, but includes a provision that the county jails cannot charge sending jails for boarders. 

The problem for Two Bridges Regional Jail is that it currently has 86 inmates from Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties, but is also boarding approximately 100 prisoners sent from other counties.

Brackett indicated that the new provisions of the bill would mean that any dollars appropriated per prisoner would not “follow” the prisoners if they are housed in other counties, the money would remain with the sending county. Because there is a cap on the amount that property holders can be taxed, there is no current way to fund the additional out-of-county population at Two Bridges.

There is hope among the county jails that a last minute amendment would come from the floor of the legislature that would allow receiving jails to charge a negotiated boarding rate and would also provide a higher amount than the $14,688,000 to fund the jails.

Brackett also encouraged the commissioners to think about a plan to address new jail legislation for future sessions of the legislature.

“It may take us two or three years to right the ship,” he told the board.

Other business

Lincoln County Commissioners voted in unison Tuesday to approve probate clerk Catherine Moore’s request to appoint clerk Karen Robbins to deputy clerk, filling the position Moore held prior to being elected probate register in November.

Robbins came to the position after working as a teacher at the Montessori School in Camden/Rockport and operating a residential cleaning business. She is a resident of Whitefield. She said the position is “challenging” and that she enjoys working with the public and describes the probate court environment as “very positive.”

Robbins, who joined the probate court staff on Nov. 24, 2014, was praised by Moore during a brief interview after the vote.

“Karen has worked very hard and deserves to be deputy. We are very proud of her,” Moore said.