SOUTH PARIS — The Oxford County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night heard an update regarding the ongoing jail-funding shortfall. 

Oxford County Administrator Scott Cole said Oxford County has been turned back by the state Legislature three times now for raising the tax cap limiting jail operations funding.

He said Oxford County should expect to receive $74,000 in state funding for jail operation, but the county is running a $59,000 deficit as a result of payments to Cumberland County for boarding inmates.

The commissioners discussed whether funds provided by Oxford Casino might be used for jail costs.

Commissioner David Duguay of Byron said he “finds it frustrating” that the state Legislature does not appear to understand the county’s position of having to pay out more money than is coming in.

County Commission Chairman Steven Merrill said, “Everywhere we go, we get that same question” about where the county will be able to house its prisoners.

Capt. Ed Quinn, jail administrator, said the Department of Human Services Intensive Case Management Program will assign the county with one of its personnel to “meet with the (inmate) population to try to get them services after they get out of jail, and get them signed up for different programs.

Hopefully, they can combine some services for these people’s aftercare, maybe get them some counseling so they don’t become repeat offenders,” he said.

Capt. Christopher Wainwright of the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Division told the commissioners a weekend drug search warrant captured 60 grams of heroin, which is slightly greater than two ounces. Wainwright said a vehicle seized in the search could become county property.

In other business, Wainwright asked the commissioners to approve funding repairs to the detectives’ office building, which is a converted Western Avenue residence. Wainwright also asked how his detectives can be compensated for extra time worked as patrol or civil service deputies. He said his office is getting frequent referrals for services from the state DHHS.

Wainwright and Oxford County Sheriff Chief Deputy Hart Daley made a pitch to commissioners to increase the salaries of deputies caught in an administrative switch before a pay raise took effect.

Daley reported that warmer weather conditions had led to an increase in burglaries. He requested permission to purchase a used patrol boat for his department.

Merrill asked Cole to check into the insurance cost and coverage for the boat.

Register of Deeds Patricia Shearman said a back-indexing project at the registry is nearly completed.

District Attorney Andrew Robinson said that legal secretary Rosemary Reese announced her retirement from his office. He also discussed “diminishing returns” of trying to finance local prosecution of internet criminals, such as the ones who tried to disrupt county business with extortion “ransomware.” It makes a computer hard drive encrypted and unusable unless a ransom is paid.

Cole said a credit card reader for a self-service fuel pump at the county airport needs to be installed.

“We hope to get sales to the public shortly,” he said.

Harry Benson, development director for Everpower, discussed his company’s project to install electricity-producing windmills in Milton Township. Several Milton citizens petitioned the state to remove the project from expedited zoning processing. Benson said the petition could doom the project and asked the county for support in obtaining a permit from the Land Use Planning Commission.

The LUPC has scheduled a hearing for the project in July, and Benson said his company would schedule a public meeting to explain the project to citizens. The commissioners requested more information, especially regarding projected financial returns whether the project had been constructed as taxed or untaxed property.

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