LCRPC receives $150K grant to study sewer and water expansion
County Administrator Carrie Kipfer told commissioners April 15, Maine Department of Transportation issued a notice of taking and layout of a Waldoboro property. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
County Administrator Carrie Kipfer told commissioners April 15, Maine Department of Transportation issued a notice of taking and layout of a Waldoboro property. BILL PEARSON/Boothbay Register
In January, Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission applied for a $150,000 Department of Economic and Community Development Grant to search for possible sites for expanding sewer and water for future housing developments.
In the April 15 county commissioners' meeting, LCRPC Executive Director Emily Rabbe reported the commission recently received a $150,000 grant. She further explained the grant would fund hiring an engineering firm to perform a feasibiliity study around Lincoln County. "We will reach out to communities to identify sites and select them prior to sending out RFPs (requests for proposals)," Rabbe said. The grant will also fund working with municipalities in developing plans for sewer and water expansion.
Rabbe said the project begins May 1 and runs until Oct. 31, 2026.
In other action, two county detectives will be going to Hoover, Alabama for a week-long training session in June and July. Jared Mitkus will attend the National Computer Forensics Institute. Det. Matt Ryan will attend a Digital Security Course. Commissioners unanimously approved sending each one to their training. The Secret Service hosts each training session and assumes all training and lodging expenses, according to Chief Deputy Rand Maker.
The forensic training is June 22-28 and focuses on electronic skimmers. These devices capture financial information from point-of-sale gas pumps and ATMs. "Thieves pull the data from these cards. This will increase our ability to gather data and improve our investigations," Maker said. "Through firsthand knowledge this will increase our ability to gather data and improve our investigations."
The Digital Currency Course is July 6-11 and focuses on investigations dealing with Bitcoin and digital currency. The training involves tracking and preserving evidence. "I think you'd be shocked if you found out all the kinds of scams being perpetrated in Lincoln County," Maker said.
Commissioners approved a $9,122.95 payment to Coastal Electronics in Wiscasset for equipping a new vehicle.
LCRPC will have a summer intern with a Boothbay Harbor connection. Chaffee Stoddard of Bridgton is a University of Southern Maine junior. The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center matched Stoddard with the commission. Stoddard's family lives in Boothbay Harbor in the summer.
Commissioners meet next at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 6 in the county courthouse.
