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County commissioners ask state for jail funding; Auburn leaders discuss impacts and alternatives
Summary
County commissioners told Auburn councilors the county jail is under flat funding pressure and urged municipal support for asking the state to increase its share. Council members raised 911 costs and a proposed sheriff’s office facility; the city said it offered co-location at a new public-safety building to reduce bond costs.
Andrew Lewis, chair of the Androscoggin County Commission, and Commissioner Jane Penethy briefed the Auburn City Council on Jan. 21 about county priorities, with an emphasis on jail funding and facilities.
Lewis said the county faces a funding squeeze for jail operations because state contributions have been flat for years while costs and new standards for addiction and mental-health services increased. “Without an increase from the state… we’re charging all of the cities more because the house, feed, and take care of the prisoners,” Lewis said, and he asked councilors to consider contacting state legislators to press for the state’s statutory share.
Penethy, the commission’s vice chair and a newly elected commissioner, identified the jail as “the big fish in terms of things that we're facing,” and called for state participation; both county commissioners urged municipalities to advocate to the legislative delegation.
Councilors discussed impacts to municipal property tax bills and related county issues including 911 consolidation and subsidies for dispatch services. Mayor Harmon and the city manager noted prior council outreach to legislators and said Auburn, along with other municipalities, has raised jail funding as a property-tax-relief issue in municipal association policy work.
Harmon and the manager also reiterated an earlier city offer to explore co-location of county operational functions with Auburn’s planned public safety building on Minot Avenue, saying co-location could reduce the county bond size by about $1 million and lower property-tax impacts. County commissioners said they are exploring funding options and alternatives to a straight bond for a new sheriff's office facility.
Commissioners told councilors they will post meeting agendas and minutes to the county website and encouraged public attendance. Lewis said the county meets monthly and the next meeting is Feb. 14.
