FARMINGTON – Commissioners approved the hiring of two new corrections officers, requested bids for a replacement cruiser and shifted money into a reserve to cover the county’s benefit liability at Tuesday’s meeting.
Commissioners approved the hiring of two corrections officers, filling vacant positions at the Franklin County Detention Center. Casey Boulay, a Jay resident, has worked at the FCDC before as a part-time officer, while Natasha Perez, also a resident of Jay, has worked at the Somerset County Jail for some time. Commissioners approved the hiring of Boulay and Perez as full-time officers.
In other jail-related business, commissioners agreed to a six-month extension of the county’s agreement with Maine Pretrial Services, a private, nonprofit agency that provides pretrial services for the county’s criminal defendants. Commissioners intend to put that service out to bid, utilizing the six-month window.
Commissioners also received a report on a 2015 Interceptor cruiser that has developed issues that have resulted in it not running or turning off while running. The vehicle is beyond its warranty, with 78,000 miles, and its computer has not returned any code to indicate what the issue is. Chief Deputy Steve Lowell said that the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office sees the problem as a safety issue: when the vehicle loses power while operating it becomes difficult to steer.
A new computer could cost something in excess of $6,000, which is greater than the value of the car. FCSO is recommending it be traded in and a 2017 model be acquired. Funds relating to the Stonegarden program, which provides federal funding to patrol routes near U.S. borders, could provide the difference between the 2015 vehicle’s trade-in and the new 2017.
Commissioners approved having Lowell seek bids from the three companies that typically respond to Franklin County’s requests for proposals. The county ideally wants a vehicle purchased by the time a new deputy is hired; oral boards for that position are Nov. 28.
The commissioners also authorized the transfer of $200,000 of undesignated funds into the Benefit Liability Reserve. Those funds will go toward covering the roughly $490,000 the county owes to its employees for unused leave time; employees can be reimbursed for unused time when they leave the county’s employ. Recently, commissioners have moved to limit that liability by paying stipends to nonunion employees in exchange for limits to the amount of accrued personal time off the county would need to purchase.
There is currently $1.8 million in the county’s undesignated fund. The reserve account for benefit liability typically contains roughly $50,000.
Communications Director Stan Wheeler updated commissioners on the ongoing project to reinforce the tower on Mosher Hill. Commissioners previously accepted a $20,959 bid to reinforce the Mosher Hill emergency communications tower from Northern Pride Communications out of Topsham. The steel for that project is being delivered from Oklahoma, Wheeler said, and the company anticipates completing the work sometime this winter.
Wheeler noted that 9-1-1 dispatchers took more than 100 emergency calls during the storm of Oct. 30. Typically, the Franklin County facility takes 26 calls a day.
Buy an extended warranty perhaps…
Perhaps this is the problem with the car?? Ford recall issued in August 2016
Approximately 88,151 vehicles from the 2013 to 2015 model years are being called back over the fuel pump control module. All vehicles are equipped with the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine and, according to Ford, the fuel pump control module fault could stall the engine “without warning while driving and without the ability to restart, increasing the risk of a crash.”
If you own a 2013 to 2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, or Ford Police Interceptor Sedan with the 3.5-liter V6, then do call your nearest dealership as soon as possible.
Just because the computer stores no codes for this fault doesn’t necessarily mean the computer is bad. It could also mean that the computer is not detecting a malfunction of a monitored part at the time of the stalling.
Seeing how this is a public service vehicle where dependability is crucial and, according the article, at 2 years old isn’t even worth 6000$, it is probably best to replace the cruiser.
Two years old! Doesn’t seem like we’ve progressed technologically very well.
Guess they just don’t build them like they used too,
More and more tax dollars, keep throwing money at the jail. What happened to the profits we would see by not shipping our criminals elsewhere?
Good point Safety. But have you noticed when FCSO wants something it happens. If it is not worth repairing a two year old vehicle I would be looking at another brand.
Just to be clear, no county tax money will be used for the purchase of this vehicle. The funding will come from a reserve of “Stonegarden” program grants (see paragraph five). To not address this would cost the county much should an officer crash due to sudden power failure. We have purchased dozens of these vehicles over the years. They have proven to be safe, reliable and have very good fuel mileage. This one clearly is an abnormality.
To address another question, yes it is much cheaper to keep prisoners here in the Franklin County Jail. I invite anyone to stop by the Sheriff’s office to talk with me if they would like an explanation.
I see, thank you Mr. Nichols and I hope this doesn’t offend you because I think you do a great job at the sheriff station but if anyone knows how much it costs local taxpayers to run the place, it is you. Please remember we are a community that is concerned with how our taxes are spent and how an increase in every departmental spending is another increase in our property and income taxes. Federal funds or local funds are still tax dollars and I live on a budget so 6k vs how much it costs for a newer 2017, which is already a year old, …. I don’t know, it seems that if this is a factory default then they should own their failed equipment and replace the issue. I would argue this point at the dealership if it’s an honest business with true integrity. It seems that there are a few suggestions above about things to look into because that’s how common folk like us think, we see an issue and look for a solution not a trade in. My point is: How is a 2 year old car that far gone?And, didn’t you just get approved to purchase two brand new vehicles? I’ve never owned a new car and probably will never own a new car so I rely on fixing what I have. Also, I mean no disrespect, I appreciate all you and the sheriffs do because you put a lot on the line for a paycheck but no one should have to visit the sheriff station and talk face to face with you just to learn public knowledge. Again, thank you for your above response.
So where does the Stonegarden money come from? Federal government? Silly sheep, just keep blindly paying your taxes! It’s ok to trash a two year old vehicle as long as ‘federal’ money pays the tab to replace.
A “grant” is funds that came from someone’s pocket at some point. Why are state and federal funds discussed as if they are free money?
A two year old vehicle with a factory defect and we are OK with getting rid of it. None of us hard working taxpayers would do this in our household. It’s time to reign in the county budget. This is a perfect example. Thank you.
So I’m guessing police cruisers don’t have as good of a warranty that regular vehicles do ? A two year old vehicle should still be under warranty and should be fixed or money reimbursed for lemon law. Any dealership that wouldn’t do this should not get our business again !!!
The problem with this vehicle is unknown, therefore how do you know it is a factory defect? I have seen rodents cause problems, or corrosion. With 78,000 mile it is well beyond the drivetrain warranty. I don’t think you can purchase an extended warranty after the fact.
I would be curious as to why it is only valued at 6000$