Lincoln County Commissioners heard concerns about LD 657, An Act to Reorganize the Probate Court, from County Administrator Carrie Kipfer on Tuesday.

The current probate system is entirely county-based. Probate judges are elected, and are usually part-time. Each county has its own judge and probate court, with registrar of probate, clerk, and other officials who maintain records. Under the new system, the support system would remain under the county system, but the judge would be one of several the state would hire.

Kipfer said the judges would be full time and would probably be shared with nearby counties. That, Kipfer said, would result in a loss of service to each county. “County probate judges very often come in on an emergency basis if needed right now,” she said. “But if they are responsible for other counties as well, there probably wouldn’t be as much availability for emergency cases.”

In addition, there would be a new software system whose cost – half a million dollars – would be shared by the 16 counties. Depending on how it is parceled out, the cost to Lincoln County could be as high as $31,250.  Several judges with private practices in addition to their duties as probate judge, may not be able to take on a full-time job as circuit probate judge. Kipfer said it is unclear when public hearings on the bill will be held, but she strongly urged the commissioners to testify.

The commissioners welcomed the new County Planner, Megan McLaughlin, and the new probate clerk, Edythe Dersham. McLaughlin said she is still in “the discovery phase” of her new job, working toward learning about outgoing Planner Bob Faunce’s priorities, especially on sea level rise and flood plain issues. She said she is also reaching out to town planning boards and is hoping to get culvert grants. The commissioners recommended a survey of fish passages that use culverts and an attempt to get grants through 319 funding through the Department of Environmental Protection for a watershed plan.

The commissioners approved a lease renewal for the Department of Administration and Financial Services in the basement of the Sheriff’s Office, and another for the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce at the planning office. They approved recycling contracts for Warren and Windsor, and approved purchase orders for the TRIO Accounts Receivable module with a one-time fee of $2,050 and an annual maintenance fee of $385, and another purchase order for a new copier for the District Attorney’s office for $5,700 when the current lease expires in the summer. They refused a purchase order to replace an electrical panel that has is a small hole in the outer door. Kipfer said she would look into other options.

Sheriff Todd Brackett received approval for a purchase order for a vehicle to replace one following an accident last fall. An insurance claim partly covered the $29,470.

Brackett said the Addiction Resource Center has made a conditional job offer to someone to replace Bill Ellsworth, who died in a car accident last fall. Ellsworth’s funeral is at noon March 9 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Newcastle.

Animal Control Officer contracts for Somerville and Nobleboro will be settled at their town meetings. To get them all on the same schedule, the two towns will have contracts that are slightly longer than a year. Boothbay Harbor is in negotiations with the Sheriff’s Office for an ACO contract, but Brackett did not know if Edgecomb, Boothbay, or Southport – who had shared an ACO with Boothbay Harbor until the ACO’s resignation – would enter into negotiations as well. He said he would look into it and reach out to those towns. He said it would be helpful to have a fourth ACO, especially if all four peninsula towns end up with a contract with the Sheriff’s Office.