By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Registry of deeds fees and the upcoming budget process were the main topics of discussion at the Aroostook County Commissioners meeting held on Oct. 2 at the County Courthouse in Caribou.
County Administrator Doug Beaulieu updated the commissioners on the fee structure for making copies of records at both the North and South Registry of Deeds locations. The fee structure will remain the same at 25 cents per page if the person requesting the copy makes the copy, and will be 50 cents per page if the Registry makes the copy. Electronic downloads will be 5 cents per image and anything downloaded online will be free for the first 500 images, then 50 cents per image after that. Beaulieu reported to the commissioners that the Registry copies are a fair source of revenue for the County, averaging about $40,000 per year.
Beaulieu then advised the commissioners that the county budget process is coming up and provided them with a copy of the first draft of the 2014 calendar year budget for organized territories and the fiscal year July of 2014 – June of 2015 budget for unorganized territories. The organized territory budget shows a zero percent increase, and Beaulieu explained that he felt an additional couple of tenths of a percent may be able to be shaved off of that. The UT budget shows an overall increase of 2.1 percent and a tax increase of 1.9 percent, which Beaulieu believed was an average increase.
The first budget meeting with department heads will be held in Caribou on Tuesday, Oct. 22, and the next one will be on Tuesday, Oct. 29.
Beaulieu then provided the commissioners with a spreadsheet that inventoried all of the electronic equipment the county owns, which was prepared by facilities manager Brian Jandreau. The total value of the assets listed on the spreadsheet was $682,581.
The commissioners approved renewing Long Lake Sporting Club’s liquor license and also approved the hiring of a part-time sheriff’s deputy, Galen White of Houlton. White retired from the U.S. Customs Service and is a former Houlton police officer. White’s primary duty will be helping with prisoner transport.
Commissioner Norm Fournier reported on the last Maine County Commissioners Association meeting he attended. Aroostook County was awarded a share of a $10,000 incentive for safe driving. Seven other counties received the incentive as well, leaving Aroostook with an award of $1,250.
Fournier advised the other commissioners that Governor LePage spoke at the conference and encouraged counties to look at consolidating services with municipalities. According to Fournier, LePage also urged counties to discontinue their relationship with the Maine Municipal Association and agreed that the state has not funded county jails properly, but also stressed that that is not a priority of his.
During his recap of happenings with the MCCA risk pool, Fournier also mentioned that the issue of probate judges not being provided liability coverage by the pool came up again as a Cumberland County judge has been sued and was requesting the county provide him with coverage. Probate judges are currently excluded. Fournier stated he believes this issue will continue to arise until it is resolved.
Beaulieu reported that the Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust claims experience is at 51 percent, which is considered excellent, and that the North Lakes Fire & Rescue Department has applied for a grant for three sets of turnout gear totaling $4,266. Beaulieu will keep the commissioners updated on whether the grant is successful or not.
The next County Commissioners meeting will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 4:30 p.m. at the Sinclair Fire Station.
