By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — The County Commissioners meeting held on May 2 at the Caribou Courthouse saw discussion of the fiscal years 2014 and 15 Aroostook County Jail budget.
County Administrator Doug Beaulieu reported to the commissioners that the actual needs biennial budget request for the jail differed from the first submission with decreases by $352,000 for the year 2014 and $472,000 for the year 2015. Beaulieu explained that the basic differences were in line items for correctional officers, health insurance for employees and part-time and overtime lines. The decreased figure is not representative of actual need, but is based on state flat-funded mandates.
The commissioners discussed the problems with state funding of the jail and the overpopulation of prisoners. The correctional facility is budgeted for 72 inmates, but houses 80 regularly and approximately 30 are boarded elsewhere. They talked about a recent meeting held between 16 county sheriffs and the governor to voice concern over the jail funding shortfall. Commissioner Norm Fournier suggested that Aroostook County Sheriff Jim Madore’s presence at future meetings to represent Aroostook County would be useful. Madore agreed that he would attend as many meetings as time allowed him to. The commissioners approved submission of the amended biennial budget.
Beaulieu also provided the commissioners with a history of the Fort Kent Registry of Deeds, which is the second registry in Aroostook County, the other being in Houlton. Originally located in St. David, the Fort Kent registry began operation in 1839. Beaulieu began his research on the registry because of Oxford County’s recent attempt to close their second registry. Aroostook and Oxford are the only counties in the state with two registries. Beaulieu wanted to have as much background information as possible on the Fort Kent registry in case there ever was a proposal to close that facility as well.
Also during the meeting, the commissioners approved hiring a part-time cook for the jail and a custodian for the Houlton courthouse. Anne-Marie Marquis, the newly hired county finance director, attended the meeting and was introduced to the commissioners. Marquis replaces the current finance director, Linda Richardson, who is retiring, and began work on Monday.
The Commissioners meet tonight in Houlton at 4:30 p.m.
