FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday to appoint Amy Bernard of Rumford as county administrator.

Amy Bernard of Rumford was formally appointed Franklin County administrator on Tuesday by county commissioners. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

She was hired as county administrator in April 2022 but never formally appointed as the law requires, Bernard said. It was an oversight, she said.

Former Commissioners Terry Brann of Wilton, Lance Harvell of Farmington and Clyde Barker of Strong hired Bernard on April 5, 2022.

Commissioner Thomas Saviello of Wilton asked in February for the appointment to be tabled so Maine Title 30 A, subsection 82 can be reviewed to see if the county was in compliance with the statute.

Saviello said Tuesday that previous commissioners approved a contract with Bernard on March 14, 2023, for three years, three months and 16 days.

Saviello said he had two other issues that needed to be resolved. First, there needs to be a dispensation that allows Bernard not to live in the county. Second, she was appointed as manager of the unorganized territory on Sept. 6, 2022.

According to Title 30 A, a county administrator may not hold any other elective or appointed county office, except as provided in this section.

Saviello attempted to table the appointment again until his two questions were answered, but it failed.

Commissioners moved forward with the majority of the board appointing Bernard as administrator; Saviello opposed.

The unanswered questions on residency and unorganized territory manager will be on the commissioners’ next agenda.

In other business

Commissioners also approved a job description for the Franklin County Detention Center administrator. The description is modeled after that of the Somerset County Jail administrator.

Former Franklin County Administrator Douglas Blauvelt resigned Feb. 24. Lt. John Donald is handling day-to-day operations at the center.

Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said he would like a new administrator to be experienced in managing people and buy into what Franklin County Detention Center is trying to do. That includes trying to provide services to educate and counsel those in custody to get them off drugs and turn them over to an outside source to continue their progress outside of the jail. A lot of people coming in are addicted to drugs or alcohol, Nichols said. The county has a three-year grant for $1 million to address substance abuse and recidivisms.

There are 22 employees at the jail and an additional three more coming on board for a total of 25, Nichols said.

Commissioners additionally approved a request from Saviello, who is on the Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, to operate on a $150,000 budget this year. About $53,000 of that is left from the first round of grant applications. Commissioners approved using $20,000 in the past few years for two $10,000 grants.

The committee was revamped last year to be a five-member board that will meet four times a year. Members will review applications for education and opioid addiction treatment programs financed from settlements reached with drug companies. In 2023, Bernard told commissioners the county anticipates receiving $777,000 over the next 18 years from the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical settlement.