FARMINGTON – County commissioners raised questions about changing the Franklin County Detention Center into a 72-hour holding facility Wednesday.

Franklin County commissioners and jail administrators held another work session with members of a State Board of Corrections subcommittee to continue exploring options and the feasibility of the move. The proposal followed Gov. John Baldacci’s call for closing the center as part of a larger budget-cutting measure.

After meeting with commissioners last month and touring the jail, Ralph Nichols, director of internal operations for the state Department of Corrections, and Mike Vitiello, York County’s jail administrator, both members of a needs inventory committee, recommended the committee move forward and explore the feasibility of a proposed change in the jail’s mission.

Wednesday’s session was held to update commissioners and to initiate a budget for the holding facility, but first there were several questions asked.

Many revolved around costs to board longer-term inmates at the Skowhegan jail, reduced staff at the Farmington jail, food services and medical care.

A program that allows prisoners to perform public service work such as mowing town cemeteries and doing maintenance around the detention center was also raised by Sheriff Dennis Pike.

That work could affect budgets in Farmington, Wilton, Jay and elsewhere that participate in the program, Pike said. Short-term inmates would not be eligible for the program.

Nichols assured Pike that there were options, such as using alternative sentencing or home-release prisoners who could report for a day.

“We just need to look at it differently,” he said.

Jail administrators were also concerned with a reduction in staff to two per shift, including a working supervisor, with part-time staff used as needed. Safety concerns for the two were also raised.

Using data from 2008, Nichols expects the jail to average three admissions per day, creating a minimal work load, he said.

Keeping the same number of staff would keep the same costs, with staff accounting for 70 to 75 percent of the budget, he said.

“At what point does the state say we can’t have a third person if we’re within the county’s $1.6 million budget?” Commissioner Fred Hardy asked. “Who’s calling the shots? … we’re going to be responsible for getting it done with as few people as the state says we need.”

As a holding facility, a medical care provider would not be needed but costs for emergency care would be budgeted.

The county also needs to decide on food service. Anticipating about nine meals per day, options such as having food prepared off the premises, using a local restaurant or having a part-time kitchen at the facility were discussed.