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 12:07 PM on January 28, 2010 being a special session, there were present:

                                    Steven M. Merrill       Chairman
                                    David A Duguay         Commissioner
                                    Caldwell Jackson        Commissioner
                                    Scott Cole                Administrator
                                    Dirk Langeveld           Sun Journal
                                    Gene Shanor             Advertiser Democrat
                                    Jim Horowitz             Oxford Aviation
                                    Annalee Rosenblatt

Various county employees and members of the general public were also present at different times throughout the session.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

The Chair invited public comment with none received.

Executive Session – Discuss Litigation, Oxford Aviation v. Oxford County
At 12:12 PM the Commissioners unanimously voted to go into executive
session with the Administrator to discuss current litigation with Attorney
Josh Carver, who was available by phone. Jim Horowitz also participated
in a portion of this executive session.

Settlement and Release
The Commissioners came out of executive session at 1:23 PM and voted
unanimously to approve a settlement agreement in principle, and separate
mutual release, with certain amendments to the settlement which were
described by Administrator Cole and agreed upon by both the Commissioners and Mr. Horowitz. These amendments were hand-noted and initialed on the settlement documents, then executed by the Administrator and Mr. Horowitz following the Commissioners’ vote.

Executive Session – Negotiation of Labor Contract
At 1:47 PM the Commissioners unanimously voted to go into executive
session with labor negotiator Annalee Rosenblatt and the Administrator  to
discuss the deputies labor contract currently under negotiation.

Ratification
The Commissioners came out of executive session at 2:12 PM and
unanimously voted to ratify a labor contract with the Oxford County
Deputies Association for the period July 1, 2009 through December 31,
2011. The Commissioners then executed said contract.

Executive Session – Personnel
At 2:20 PM the Commissioners unanimously voted to go into executive
session to discuss a personnel matter. The Commissioners came out of
executive session at 2:50 PM but took no action other than to instruct the
Administrator to develop more information in support of the topic under
discussion.

Timesheet Preparation and Submission
The Commissioners spoke with Dori Coffin of the Treasurer’s Office
concerning employee preparation of timesheets, submission of same, and
policies surrounding the process. The Commissioners took no action other
than to request that additional information be developed regarding the
payroll process and possible introduction of time clocks or similar
technology to replace submission of paper timesheets.

Homeland Security Grant Application
At 3:20 PM the Commissioners unanimously voted to endorse submission
of a Homeland Security Grant Application which seeks approximately
$12,000 in funding for communications equipment to be used by the
Sheriff’s department. There is no local match required in this grant offering.

No other bills or accounts were give consideration and on the 28th day of January, 2010 the Commissioners adjourned at 3:32 PM.

Scott G. Cole, Administrator