AUBURN — With still no word from the state on how much money the county will receive to fund its jail, the Androscoggin County Commission on Wednesday night postponed until next week discussion on the proposed jail budget.

That gives commissioners little time to finalize their 2016 budget. Tuesday, Sept. 8, is the deadline set by commissioners to complete initial budget work before it goes to the Budget Committee.

Commissioners felt they had few options during Wednesday’s lengthy meeting. The majority of the third workshop was taken up by Sheriff Eric Samson, who presented budgets for the civil division, patrol division and communications.

But with the state still wrestling with how to distribute the $12.4 million among the 15 county jails, commissioners decided to delay discussion on the corrections budget until next Tuesday in hopes that the state will complete its task before Labor Day.

Capt. Jeffrey Chute, the jail administrator, said he thought the process to determine the formula would have been completed last Friday.

Samson is also awaiting a decision from Cumberland County on how much it will charge to board prisoners from Androscoggin County Jail. The jail is boarding an average of 20 prisoners per day because of overcrowding.

Samson is proposing to add a deputy to the patrol division. That would enable the sheriff to cut money from both the overtime and reserve accounts and prevent deputies from burning out by working 80 to 90 hours per week.

The department also needs new car radios, which are more than 15 years old. Replacement parts are no longer available.

Much of the discussion following the first recess was spent on the communications budget. Samson proposed a one-time expense of $23,000 on a fourth radio console that would allow the county to provide dispatch services for Lisbon and perhaps other municipalities in Androscoggin County.

The county already provides dispatch services for several communities.

Samson is also hoping to buy four vehicles for the patrol division and another for the civil division. Commissioner Randy Greenwood suggested they could save money by not trading in one of the patrol cars and giving it to the civil division. 

The commissioners also reviewed their proposed budget. They agreed to cut $2,420 Wednesday night, but proposed $150,000 in legal fees, which could get adjusted during next week’s meeting.

With four months remaining in this fiscal year, the county has spent more than $45,000 on legal fees. While commissioners are currently defending themselves in a lawsuit brought against them by the county municipalities over the commissioners’ salaries and the budget process, the legal fees line includes much more than money for that defense.

The line also includes funding for contract negotiations with unions, disciplinary actions and any type of legal advice the county needs.

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