Lincoln County Administrator Carrie Kipfer on Dec. 17 recommended Sandy Gilbreath for community development specialist with Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission. Gilbreath replaces Harold Spetla, who became the planner at Greater Portland Council of Governments. Gilbreath teaches at University of Southern Maine, so her Lincoln County job will be part time until the end of the academic year, then become full time, Kipfer  said.

Sheriff Todd Brackett announced the resignation of an animal control officer, Will Snowman, and got permission to rehire Ben Cook for it. The purchase orders for two previously approved bids for new vehicles were also approved. LCSO will be offering several older vehicles for bid: a 2013 Ford Taurus, a 2015 Kia Sorento, a 2009 Dodge Caravan, and a 2012 Jeep Cherokee.

Some mobile and portable radios which run on analog needed to be disposed of, and LCSO had received a bid for $750 for the whole lot, but Casey Stevens of the Emergency Management Agency asked to match the bid for his amateur radio team, and Brackett agreed. Brackett also asked to overspend in one line item for three vehicle repeaters, to give deputies communications capability in several dead zones which don’t communicate well with the radio towers. After applying the $750 from EMA and using up the balance in the line item, the cost for the repeaters is $1,845.42. Brackett also got permission to buy new ballistic vests for $1,822.20. Some of the cost will be reimbursed by the federal Department of Justice.

Stevens got permission to apply for a grant for hazard mitigation planning, which needs to be done about once every five years, he said.

The county upgraded the electrical system in the multipurpose room used for probate court, so people who cannot come to the court can testify via Skype. The county also plans to revise its pay policy for reserve deputies to rise with the cost of living.