The weather was great, the food was delicious, and the discussions spirited as the Lincoln County Republican Committee held its July meeting at the Union Congregational Parish Hall in South Bristol hosted by the South Bristol Republican Town Committee. The meeting took place in South Bristol in acknowledgment of the town's centennial.

Following a meal of lobster rolls, potato salad, cole slaw and strawberry shortcake, the strong turnout of committee members and guests turned to serious business from the current debate over the funding of the Two Bridges Correctional Facility to the closing legislative session and in particular the passing of the state's biennial budget.

County Commissioner Hamilton Meserve reviewed the history and current status of the funding of 180-bed Two Bridges Regional Jail, which was built by Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties to house their inmates and lease out the excess to others. But then the state stepped into the situation with a consolidation plan and placed inmates in the empty cells. The cost per inmate is $109 per day. Unfortunately, the state reimbursement for the inmates they provide has gone from $70 to now $60, leaving the two counties to pick up the difference or reducing the inmates to just the two counties and reducing the staff. Looking at alternatives at this point, Meserve said.

The bulk of the meeting was taken up with reports on the closing legislative session by elected officials and debates about the resulting state budget and how it came about. Representative Stephanie Hawke of House District 89 said that as a new representative, she spent a lot of time just learning the routine and the lingo and finding who she could trust She said that Deb Sanderson of House District 88 was a huge help.

Sanderson spoke with some satisfaction that she was able to get several of her bills passed. However she said she was not real proud of the budget that was passed nor of the process, noting that the final budget was agreed to behind closed doors by legislative leadership without the participation of the appropriations committee. Little of Gov.LePage's aggressive budget — with its focus on changing state revenue based on consumption rather than on a state tax — remained.

Sanderson also questioned some of state priorities in the budget, but she was hopeful that things would go better in the second half.

In other business, Beth Printy, Financial Chairman, suggested that the committee consider a fundraiser for this fall, maybe with a performance based on members doing impersonations. Send her any thoughts.

Stavros Mendros of the Maine Citizens Coalition described the organization's mission and distributed copies of its newsletter. Their website is www.mainecitizenscoalition.org.

The Committee also voted to not have a meeting in August. All members, however, are welcome to attend the August 19thExecutive Committee meeting. The site and date for the September county meeting will be announced later.

For more information about the LCRC, check its website, www.lincolncountyrepublicans.org or email to Info@lincolncountyrepublicans.org.