Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office will begin a new program called RUOK for people who live alone, or for relatives or friends of a loved one who lives alone, with no one checking on them regularly.

Every day, clients will get a telephone call from the Sheriff’s Office at a pre-arranged time to verify the client is all right, Sheriff Todd Brackett said. If the call isn’t answered, either a first responder or a designated person will go to the home to check up on the client, Brackett said.

There is no cost to participate, he said. Applications are available at libraries, town offices, police departments and the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies can have new badges for Maine’s bicentennial year. Brackett said the department will buy the badges in bulk and deputies can buy them or have funds deducted from their paychecks to pay for them. Participation is voluntary. Each Sheriff’s Office vehicle will also sport a bicentennial license plate during the bicentennial year.

Commissioners approved a job description for a full-time Animal Control Special Services Officer for animal control issues and, in spare hours, other tasks in the department. Commissioners also approved renewing an annual software maintenance agreement with Tritech/Centralsquare for $31,488.75.

The Communications Department had two purchase orders approved, for base radios and a console, and for the annual subscription to I Am Responding, a program that alerts first responders when an emergency is called in to 9-1-1. Director Tom Nelson also discussed plans for the memorial garden for Kathy Blagdon.

Commissioners approved an Emergency Management Agency purchase order for a Hazmat spill reimbursement to Newcastle Fire Department. Dead River issued a check to EMA, and after EMA took its costs of $120, turned over $9,789.19 to Newcastle. Commissioners also approved an EMA purchase order of $3,500 for the D4H program, a system that helps organize larger scale incidents, according to Director Casey Stevens. Two issues – drone usage for search and rescue, and an EMA legislation proposal – were tabled until the next meeting.

Commissioners named Boothbay Harbor Police Chief Bob Hasch to Two Bridges Regional Jail Authority and Peter Drum of Bristol as alternate. Commissioners approved a purchase order of $17,050 to Steele’s Landscaping for the 2020 snowplow contract and $34,746 to Siemens Automation Heating and AC for the 2020 maintenance contract. Commissioners also approved a job description for a new supervisory job in the district attorney’s office. Court fines and surcharges totaling $1,205.22 will be added to a revenue line for the county, rather than being turned over to the jail, as has been done with previous funds.