Desjardins fears trouble ahead with overtired staff, overcrowded jail

AUBURN – It’s the budget that never ends.

Androscoggin County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to veto the work of the 11-member Budget Committee, further delaying a $10 million spending package that is already more than five weeks over schedule.

The move also extends a hiring freeze among sheriff’s deputies, who are desperately needed in the jail and to patrol the county.

“I can’t wait another six to eight weeks,” pleaded Sheriff Guy Desjardins. “I don’t have that luxury.”

The jail has four unfilled positions. More are outstanding in other areas, including the vacancy left by Deputy David Rancourt, who died in November.

It has forced the remaining workers to log hundreds of hours of overtime, 850 hours in January alone, Desjardins said.

“This is killing me,” the sheriff said. “The overtime is not going to last. My people are not going to last.”

Budget Committee Chairman Michael Bowie said he was disheartened by the commission’s decision.

He planned to contact the committee’s members in the next few days. A meeting could be scheduled for as early as Feb. 14, he said.

A two-thirds vote of the committee could force the commission to accept its recommended budget.

Until a budget is finalized for this calendar year, the three-member commission has no choice but to continue the freeze, Commissioner Constance Cote said.

“Our hands are tied,” she said.

Commissioners chose to veto the budget out of worry that the committee was spending money too easily.

To lower the money needed from taxes, the committee drew money too deeply from a community corrections budget, Commissioner Helen Poulin said. It’s money, about $186,000, that will make it harder to prevent a budget increase next year.

“They took most of our reserve funds last year,” Commissioner Elmer Berry said.

The commission also objected to the committee’s decision to add a patrol deputy to the department and a cruiser. The car, a $1,200 cruiser that was due to be retired from the county fleet, was to be used to serve civil papers in Lewiston-Auburn. Instead, the commission chose to reimburse Deputy David Trafford for the use of his own car.

“That’s the setup we’ve always had,” Poulin said. “That’s the way it should be.”

The added patrol officer was meant to relieve a thin staff, particularly at night.

During the overnight hours, the county has a single patrol officer and a sergeant on duty. The measure would have added a second officer on some nights.

It’s a problem that drew Lisbon police Chief David Brooks to attend the meeting, pleading for more help from the county to assist his officers.

“They need to know that trained, experienced people are out there to help them,” he said.

Desjardins hopes the solution will come fast. The effects of the hiring freeze are being felt most acutely in the jail, he said.

On Wednesday, the population was 141 people, with all but one of the jail’s maximum security cells occupied.

Such crowding has led to increased problems among the inmates. It’s too much for a tired staff to handle, he said.

“I’m telling you as sheriff, somebody’s going to be hurt up there,” Desjardins told the commission. “I need you folks. I need your support.”

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