Special to the Aroostook Republican
CARIBOU — At the Administrative Hearing Room in the basement of the uplit courthouse in Caribou Wednesday night, county commissioners once again revisited the proposal of Penobscot Regional Communications Center (PRCC) Executive Director James E. Ryan, Jr. to appoint PRCC the responsibility of answering 9-1-1 calls for Arooostook County. Officials sat at the tables and listened as County Administrator Douglas F. Beaulieu reported that he would be joining Sheriff James Madore at the holistic medical association meeting in Houlton to exhaust the possibility of transferring landline services. Currently, Aroostook County’s 9-1-1 services are provided by the Maine Department of Public Safety. However, a rate-making process under deliberation by the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) might inflate the cost of these services from $190,000 to $302,000 in order to cover personnel costs and capital expenditures based on end-user fees. By using PRCC to process emergency calls instead of the Maine Department of Public Safety, service costs will dip to $180,000.
The proposal was the highlight of the Sept. 17 County Commissioner’s meeting and Beaulieu made plans to submit the offer to the Aroostook Municipal Association for approval on the first of March. Beaulieu now says, however, that the state may not allow March 1 to be the effective date of the transferal.
“We were shooting for the first part of February,” said Beaulieu. “That may be delayed because of the state to March or April. There’s a reason for that and it has to do with the transition from Verizon to Fairpoint, and not everything’s been done yet.”
Beaulieu also said that the final decision is going to come from someone in the office of PUC. “Things may come unglued,” he said. “The state is in the position to make the final decision. In my opinion the state would be hard pressed to make a decision that would have an adverse effect on our budget, but nevertheless they are in a position to do that.”
Other articles discussed on the agenda included:
• A proposed Fire Protection Agreement from the municipality of Medway for the unorganized territory of Molunkus. Aroostook County formerly had a contract with the town of Mattawamkeag, but the contract was not renewed upon expiration. Commissioners were able to negotiate a three-year contact with Medway in the amount of $4,000 per year. The contract will be effective from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2011. It was approved unanimously and signed on site.
• Aroostook wind energy meteorological tower applications at Horse Mountain, Moose Mountain, and Horcut Mountain. Approved unanimously.
• The appointment of a new Superintendent of Buildings in Houlton. Beaulieu recommended candidate Daniel Bouchard, and Bouchard was subsequently approved by the commissioners for the position. Bouchard brings to the job a background in heating, in oil burners and in propane equipment, as well as a history as a machine worker with Smith & Wesson.
• The re-commissioning of two full-time deputy sheriffs. Sgt. Sean Gillen, the supervisor for Maine Drug Enforcement Agency in Houlton, and Deputy Larry Goth were both approved for re-commission.
In other county business, Beaulieu reported that the revenue situation with the registry of deeds is much better than anticipated. “Over and above what we predicted that we would take in in 2009, I think you’ll find — I’m going to recommend at a minimum that we booked $100,000 on top of that. We’ll be all set. We’ll be able to probably conservatively book a hundred thousand more than I was proposing in my county administrative recommendation,” said Beaulieu.
The loss ratio for the first two quarters of this year is 104 percent, an improvement over the first quarter alone. Premiums paid in the first quarter totaled almost $239,000, and the health claims paid out amounted to $278,000. In the second quarter, premiums remained at $239,000, but claims paid were lessened to $220,000.
At $469 per person, Aroostook County has the second lowest cost per capita in the state of Maine, after Kennebec County. The average is $659 and the highest is $1,060. Beaulieu said this will bode well for the county the next time it approaches Augusta for a municipal cost component.
A report on the status of the Houlton courthouse renovation was given. Minor flooding of the second floor of the administrative building was reported. Also, energy conservation measures are being taken by county government offices.
After these articles were addressed, the commissioners held an executive session. No action was taken, and the meeting subsequently disbanded.
