Hancock County commissioners approve FAA grant applications, personnel moves and agreements

The Hancock County Commissioners on April 22 approved a slate of administrative and operational items, including three FAA grant applications for airport equipment and pavement work, multiple personnel actions in the county jail, and a District Attorney equipment purchase.

The actions were taken during a special meeting convened at 8:35 a.m. by Commissioner Wombacher in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room in Ellsworth; Commissioners Clark and DiBella voted with Wombacher on each recorded motion, which passed by 3-0. A motion to accept the amended agenda — which removed the Hinkley lease airport item and a Community Benefit Grant awards item — passed with the same vote.

Why it matters: the approvals move forward maintenance and airspace projects at the county airport and finalize staffing changes at the county jail and other departments, while the DA’s copier purchase is being paid from existing reserve accounts.

Among the approvals, the board authorized three FAA grant applications: to purchase a runway rotary broom and carrier; for pavement maintenance and marking design and construction; and for an airspace easement project. A motion recorded in the minutes to approve the FAA grant application for the purchase of a runway rotary broom and carrier passed 3-0.

The county also authorized the County Administrator to finalize a memorandum of understanding with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office to provide backup animal control services. In jail personnel actions the board approved the promotion of Emily Carber from temporary full-time to full-time (effective April 25), promoted Corrections Officer Christopher Shahan to the rank of corporal (effective April 25), and accepted resignations from Corrections Officer Louis St. Pierre (effective April 14), part-time cook Kathy Batey (effective March 29), and Corrections Officer Ian Foster (effective April 7). The motions were recorded as moved by Commissioner Clark and seconded by Commissioner DiBella, each passing 3-0.

The District Attorney’s Office received approval to purchase a Xerox C8255 networked color copier for $11,800 from Xerox Business Solutions as a sole-source vendor. The minutes record that $4,500 will come from G1-3012-40 (DA Copier Reserve) and the remaining $7,300 from G1-3012-50 (DA Equipment Reserves); the motion passed 3-0.

Human Resources reported and the board approved an update to the county’s overtime and compensatory time policy — specifically the minimum pay for reporting to work — in accordance with 26 MRSA §639-A.

The commissioners also made two administrative appointments: Commissioner Clark to the State Claims Commission hearing for the Blue Hill Highway Project (June 10) and Commissioner DiBella to the State Claims Commission hearing for the Southwest Harbor Project (May 27).

The board entered two executive sessions under MRSA Title 1 §405(6)(D) for union contract negotiations with members of the Fraternal Order of Police; the first executive session was recorded as beginning at 8:55 a.m. and ending at 10:02 a.m.; the second began at 10:25 a.m. and ended at 11:31 a.m. The minutes state commissioners will resume labor negotiations later in the day.

The meeting concluded after Commissioner Clark and County Administrator Michael Crooker discussed funding options for the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) building and an associated EMA grant; Crooker will meet with the EMA director, the finance director and the building committee and report back at the next meeting. The board adjourned at 11:34 a.m.

No public comment was recorded for this meeting.

Next steps: staff will return recommendations on EOC funding and the county will set a rescheduled date for the postponed tax-abatement hearing.