Commissioners approve updated job descriptions, authorize hires for emergency management deputy and patrol deputy

Sagadahoc County commissioners on March 11 approved updated job descriptions and pay ranges for five county positions and authorized two hires: Maureen Prentice as deputy director of the Emergency Management Agency and Thomas J. "TJ" Ellis as a patrol deputy in the sheriff's office.

Acting Administrator Jill Flaherty told commissioners the updated descriptions cover the Emergency Management Agency director and deputy director, a new community navigator position (created using opioid-settlement funding), an administrative assistant position, and probate register and deputy register roles. Commissioners were told the ranges include current salaries for incumbents and reflect market studies; the administration said the changes add approximately $14,014 to the FY 2026 budget (about 0.1 percent of the proposed budget) and will be reviewed by the budget advisory committee.

Flaherty said the deputy EMA director candidate, Maureen Prentice, brings more than 25 years of experience as an emergency-management professional, including ham-radio and radio-programming skills relevant to the county's radio project. The board authorized her hire effective March 12, 2025.

Sheriff's office paperwork in the meeting packet described Thomas J. "TJ" Ellis as coming from the Auburn Police Department with 13 years of service. Commissioners voted to hire Ellis as a patrol deputy; the record shows his family has relocated to the area and his wife works locally as a guidance counselor.

Commissioners also discussed a proposed nonunion wage adjustment package that the administration will present to the budget advisory committee; the proposed adjustments were described as driven by position changes, expanded duties and comparative salary research. The commission discussed creating a formal succession plan and a possible stipend for a deputy administrator to serve as acting administrator when needed; no formal job description for a deputy administrator had been finalized at the meeting, and the administration said it would bring options to the budget committee.

The meeting record shows approvals were made by motion and voice vote; formal roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript.