Two Bridges Jail Authority on March 13 reviewed a draft policy on employees' pay structure. The purpose, according to Col. James Bailey, was to attract and keep qualified personnel, motivate people to move up in the ranks, and increase salaries of junior employees to comply with federal and state laws.

Sheriff Todd Brackett voted for the policy, but had concerns some people might be promoted and earn more than people who had already risen in the ranks. “I don’t know how you solve that problem,” he said.  “But it is a problem.” He said the Sheriff’s Office has a similar policy and it has caused some more senior employees to earn less than some more junior employees.

Bailey said he had four full time staff starting March  18, the first time in many years that there is full staffing.

After an executive session, the authority voted to renew the Waldo County contract.

Bailey said the draft budget for the jail should be ready by the May meeting.

The Finance Committee had been asked to develop a policy for $194,000 in state funds sent to TBRJ instead of to the counties, as had been done in years past. Because the counties take on the fiscal responsibility for some of the jail functions, such as transportation to and from the courthouse and some funding for addiction resource services and pretrial release services, the funds had historically gone to the counties to pay for these services and anything not needed then is sent to the jail. All other counties had received the funds, but because TBRJ is a regional jail, the funds were sent directly to the jail.

The committee recommended TBRJ make the funds available to the counties, which would have the choice of reducing future payments to the jail or letting the jail keep the funds. Lincoln County elected to reduce future payments to the jail, while Sagadahoc County let TBRJ keep the money on the grounds the legislation called for the money to go to the jail.

Brackett recommended the money be returned to the state, since the approved budget didn’t end up spending all the funds. Todd McPhee and David Sinclair concurred. However, Committee Chair Carrie Kipfer pointed out that all counties’ budgets are a snapshot in time and no other county would be expected to return the funds they ended up not requiring. The vote was 10-2 in favor of the committee’s proposal.