The Maine State Board of Corrections voted unanimously to the pay a full third-quarter payment to the Two Bridges Regional Jail in the amount of $508,918 at their meeting March 25.

Other county jails also will receive their third quarter payments, with the exception of Somerset County. The third quarter payments, due January 1, 2013, are nearly three months late. Fourth quarter payments are due April 1.

The State Board of Corrections owed county facilities in the state about $4 million, for their third and fourth quarter payments; over $1 million was owed to Two Bridges.  

The investment account fund that is used to pay the counties does not have enough money to support those obligations.

With the payment of approximately $2.5 million being paid for the third quarter payments, there will leave an estimated balance of $1.5 million in the investment account (a shortage of over $800,000 for the fourth quarter payment).

Board of Corrections Chairman Mark Westrum told the county officials at the meeting it certainly did not look good for the fourth quarter payments.

Senator Stan Gerzofsky, the chairman of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, addressed the board. “There is no money, we have to work together to make this system work,” Gerzofsky said. “We will prime the pump, but we will not fill the well.”

Westrum told Gerzofsky that when the state capped the counties on what they could raise from taxes for corrections, the state was supposed to put in the difference that was needed to operate the facilities.

“We need to know how we can help you besides throwing money at you,” Gerzofsky said. “If you need more authority we will give more authority.”

Westrum mentioned the legislation also requires the state to pay the debt service that is still being paid by the taxpayers in their counties, pointing out the state has failed in that obligation as well.

Westrum explained there were county jails operating in a deficiency because the state has not been able to live up to their side of the bargain. “We will continue to push for the money that is needed,” Westrum said.

Waldo County Sheriff Scott Waldo told Gerzofsky the county jails are a small piece of the big picture. The jails have to deal with the decisions of the court system, district attorneys and judges. They should be aware of how what they do affect the corrections.  

Gerzofsky offered to set up a meeting with a group of lawyers, and judges to discuss the issues.

Somerset County money on hold

On the advice of legal counsel, Assistant Attorney General Andrew Black, the BOC voted to withhold Somerset County’s third quarter payment until a legal issue could be resolved.

According to information received at the meeting, Somerset County Commissioners may have used federal inmate revenue to pay on a debt service, which is not what the law allows the money to be used for.

Somerset Commissioner Phil Roy presented a bill, LD 502, to the BOC at their meeting, which will allow jail savings to be applied to a debt service.

Westrum pointed out the BOC is not saying that Somerset will not get their third quarter payment; however, before a decision is made Somerset County with legal representation, along with the BOC legal representation mush meet to resolve the issue.

Charlotte Boynton can be reached at 207-844-4632 or cboynton@wiscassetnewspaper.com.