Oxford County commissioners meeting

Jan. 17, 2017

Commissioners Office, South Paris

Courthouse property

What happened: County Administrator Scott Cole said the county has purchased property next to the Oxford County Superior Courthouse and the owner will live in the residence until the end of May. Capt. Ed Quinn of the Oxford County Jail said it is most important to him to have a catwalk constructed between the jail and court for prisoners going to and from the courthouse.

What it means: Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant said the catwalk is important for security reasons. “It’s the best choice for us, for the inmates, and for anybody in the court.” he said. He said that a secure, controlled entryway to a jail can still be installed, but a catwalk would be the best option.

What’s next: Cole said the county is “getting to a point in the expansion where the planners and architects need to know what’s available to purchase for land and what is not.” He said the committee responsible for overseeing the expansion is also looking into how to improve parking at the courthouse.

Prisoner entry time

What happened: Quinn told commissioners he and the District Attorney’s Office have begun pushing for people arriving to serve sentences to come in at 9 a.m. rather than 6 p.m.

What it means: Quinn said he and District Attorney Andrew Robinson have started to see a “real big trend” of people about to serve a jail sentence asking for a stay of execution and coming in at 6 p.m. The later arrival doesn’t give the staff enough time to prepare, he said.

What’s next: So far, Robinson said that there has been no resistance from anyone with the request. “We have a good rapport, so we think we can make this work,” he said.