Lincoln County Commissioners made it clear to County Sheriff Todd Brackett at their meeting Tuesday morning that they are unhappy with the way the jail consolidation law is playing out for the county jails.

"This One Maine System is not working out for the counties," Commissioner William Blodgett said. Brackett, who is co-chair to the Board of Corrections’ working group was attempting to give the commissioners a report of what was going on with the group.

Blodgett asked if the Board of Corrections or the working group is overseeing the state corrections system budget as they are with the county system.

"No," Brackett answered. "The Board of Corrections has no control over the state corrections budget."

"Then this is not a One Maine System," Blodgett said. "It is not an equal system. It is the state running the county correctional system."

Board of Corrections (BOC) Chairman Neal Duffett, who oversees the county corrections system, wrote in a letter that was sent all the county commissioners in the state, "The Board of Corrections was not designed or qualified to supervise the day-to-day operation of correctional facilities. The BOC recognizes that it needs to improve its own internal structure and lines of communication in order to achieve our mission to design, guide and invest strategically in the development of a unified state and county corrections system."

Brackett told the commissioners the Board of Corrections is in its infancy stages, and is working to improve the communications between the board and the facilities.

"What is the job of the working group?" Blodgett asked Brackett.

"The working group’s job is to work with the county facilities, and educate the Board of Corrections as to what is going on and what is needed within the facilities."

"In the future we will be over viewing the state corrections system as well," Brackett said.

Commissioner Sheridan Bond said the counties are dealing with a different class of inmates. He said the state inmates create problems in the county jails, they do not like being moved and act out so they can be shipped back to the state facility. The state inmates are continuously intimidating the county inmates, Bond said.

"However, if the state inmates are taken back to the state prison because of creating problems at the county jails, I am told they are disciplined for their actions."

There is some consideration being given to keeping all state inmates in one pod at Two Bridges Jail in Wiscasset, when there is enough staffing to do it, according to Bond.

In other business Emergency Management Agency/Communicati-ons Director Tim Pellerin updated the commissioner on the H1N1 virus. About five percent of the state’s population has been given the H1N1 flu shot.

Pellerin presented the commissioners with a draft contract for payment and service for the town of Pittston which has officially requested that Lincoln County Communications perform dispatching for them, which is currently provided by the state.

The commissioners approved the contract with the condition that it be reviewed by Maine Municipal Association’s Risk Management division, which insures the county for liability.

Others towns outside the county that have also requested that service from Lincoln County include West Gardiner, Gardiner, Farmington, and Randolph, according to Pellerin.

Before the county can take on that service for the towns, the change has to be approved by the Public Utilities Commission.

Pellerin told the commissioners he has been involved in some table top drills with Maine Yankee, Miles Memorial Hospital and the Maine Emergency Management Agency.

The county was evaluated during the drill by Donald Dennie, the Central Informational Officer for the Mayor of Boston. Commissioner Lynn Orne told the board she spoke with Dennie during his visit and he told her he was impressed with the organization of the communications office.

"He said that Tim Pellerin was an incredible asset to the county," Orne said.

Lincoln County scored a 99.75 in the drill evaluation, according to Pellerin. The commissioners commended Pellerin and his staff for the excellent work.