Minutes - Jan. 19, 2010
At the Court of Oxford County Commissioners begun and held at Paris, Maine within and for the County of Oxford at 9:04 AM on January 19, 2010 being a regular session, there were present:
Steven M. Merrill, Chairman
David A Duguay, Commissioner
Caldwell Jackson, Commissioner
Scott Cole, Administrator
Dirk Langeveld, Sun Journal
Various county employees, county attorney, and members of the general public were also present at different times throughout the session.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
A lunchtime site visit to the Oxford County Regional Airport was added to the agenda with unanimous consent.
Minutes of the meeting held on December 15, 2009 were approved with one amendment concerning calculation of the value of dispatchers’ accrued sick days.
Following approval of these minutes, the Chair invited public comment with none received.
EMA Director
The Commissioners received a printed summary and heard a report from the Emergency Management Agency Director concerning several open intergovernmental grants, along with the agency’s goals in 2010. Discussion then ensued concerning the overtime wage allocation made in the 2010 budget for EMA personnel. It was clarified that this overtime would not be deliberately scheduled and only utilized when operationally necessary and pre-approved by the Commissioners, and where compensatory time was not feasible.
Department Heads
The Commissioners and department heads discussed a variety of matters, with some being unique to specific to departments and others applicable to all departments.
The Deeds-East Register discussed her department’s revenue picture and status of LD 1550. The RCC director discussed his plan to send dispatchers, over time, to newly required emergency communications training in Vassalboro. The Treasurer reported that end-of-year closeout work was in progress. The EMA director inquired why mileage reimbursement had been placed on the current meeting agenda. The Sheriff commented on his participation in public hearings held in Bethel concerning the town’s interest in contracting with the Sheriff’s department for police coverage.
The Administrator presented an interim approach to processing departmental purchase orders and reported on the IT consultant selection process.
County Auditors
At 10:25 AM, county auditors Ron Smith and Bruce Nadeau presented a draft audit report of jail financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2009, with comments and recommendations concerning the county’s position, relative to pending requirements of the state Board of Corrections. Discussion ensued on this topic.
The Commissioners then unanimously approved a resolution to adopt the Audited Financial Statements of the Jail Department of the County of Oxford, Maine, dated June 30, 2009, as prepared by RHR Smith & Company, Certified Public Accountants.
Following this action, the Commissioners also unanimously approved a resolution to adopt auditor-recommended changes to Note 7 – General Fund Designated Fund Equity, page 28, of Audited Financial Statements of County of Oxford, Maine, dated December 31, 2008, as prepared by RHR Smith & Company, Certified Public Accountants.
The Commissioners and auditors also discussed the pros and cons of changing the county’s general fund fiscal year from January-December to July-June. It was informally agreed that there are tradeoffs, and a variety of ways to implement such a change. No formal action was taken on this matter.
Airport Visit and Lunch Recess – 11:45 to 1:15 PM.
The Commissioners, Administrator, and County Attorney Josh Carver traveled to the county airport to inspect hangars, offices and shop facilities, along with personnel from Oxford Aviation. Lunch was also taken at this time.
Sheriff
The Commissioners reconvened at 1:23 PM at the Courthouse and began discussion with the Sheriff, who presented several monthly recurring reports covering law incidents, vehicle, and jail operations.
Discussion then turned to acquisition of a transport vehicle for the jail, with the Sheriff presenting several bids from local dealerships. The Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the Sheriff to spend up to $24,000 on said vehicle with final selection to be made by the Sheriff.
The Commissioners and Sheriff discussed pending Sheriff’s department use of the U.S. Forest Service building in Bethel, with attention given to a December 18, 2009 letter received by the Sheriff from Katherine Stuart, District Ranger for USFS. No action was taken.
Executive Session w/ Sheriff
At 1:50 PM the Commissioners unanimously voted to enter into executive session with the Sheriff, and Administrator also present, for the purpose of discussing a personnel matter. The Commissioners came out of executive session at 2:25 PM and no action was taken.
Treasurer Mary Ann Prue
At 2:31 PM, Treasurer Mary Ann Prue verbally indicated to the Commissioners that her house in Rumford was about to be sold and that she would be moving to Brunswick at some point in 2010, likely to occur before the end of her term. No further action was taken on this matter. The Chair then instructed the Administrator to do research concerning the process for replacing the Treasurer in the event she resigned before expiration of her term.
Executive Session – Oxford Aviation v. Oxford County
At 2:40 PM, the Commissioners unanimously voted to enter into executive
Session with County Attorney Josh Carver and the Administrator to discuss
current litigation with Oxford Aviation. The executive session continued for
several hours with the Commissioners also periodically speaking with
representatives of Oxford Aviation, namely Attorney Russell Pierce and
company official F. Lee Bailey.
The Commissioners came out of executive session at 5:35 PM. No action
was taken.
After a short break, the Commissioners resumed open session at 5:41 PM
and discussed the following with formal action or resolution as
indicated:
- The Commissioners unanimously voted to name the Administrator Scott Cole as Oxford County’s standing proxy in the absence of Chairman Merrill at meetings of the Maine County Commissioners Association.
- The Commissioners authorized reimbursement to an Albany homeowner in the amount of $49 for snowplow damage to a mailbox, with instruction to the Administrator to evaluate each claim on a case-by-case basis rather than blanket agreement of county reimbursement for all mailbox damage caused by snowplows.
- The Commissioners did not authorize extension of snowplowing service in the vicinity of Parsonage Hill Rd and Picnic Hill Road, following consideration of a request to do so.
- The Commissioners authorized county procurement of screened sand for Albany roads, up to 1000 cubic yards if needed.
- The Commissioners discussed interpretation of county policy concerning eligibility for benefits in the case of an extended employee absence. No action was taken.
- The Commissioners authorized interim hiring of Christina Sugars as the Administrator’s assistant.
- The Administrator briefed the Commissioners on the IT selection process being conducted by a team of department of heads.
- The Commissioners unanimously voted to support MedCare as successor to Tri-Town Ambulance in the provision of first-response emergency medical services in Milton Township.
- The Commissioners discussed possible future reorganization of county departments and functions, and asked the Administrator to put together an information package on this subject for discussion on February 16.
- The Commissioners instructed the Administrator to check on 2010 starting balances for deputies’ accrued vacation to insure that these accruals are consistent with current labor agreements and county policy.
All other bills and accounts were given consideration and on the 19th day of January, 2010, the Commissioners adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
Scott G. Cole, Administrator |
