Androscoggin County commissioners voted Wednesday to join Franklin County in seeking a consultant to study the viability of building a regional correctional facility along with Oxford County.

Androscoggin commissioners added $40,000 to their 2026 budget to pay for a consultant, the cost for which would be split three ways, Jeff Chute, Androscoggin County administrator, said.

Meanwhile, officials in Oxford County set aside funds in their budget to use should they decide to join in on the study.

In October, the sheriffs in the three counties proposed exploring the initiative to operate a regional jail to save money, offer better programming, more medical services and possibly raising revenue by boarding inmates from other jails.

Under the proposed concept, the three counties would join together in building a regional correctional facility in a central location that could house about 500 inmates.

All three jails are experiencing overcrowding at their facilities in Auburn, Farmington and Paris.

Androscoggin County pays just over $700,000 a year to board its inmates at jails. Oxford County commissioners added $1.25 million to the 2026 budget this week to board its inmates.

Franklin County is in its first year of having to board inmates regularly. The county pays $100 a day for each inmate housed outside Franklin County. The county will be adding a line in the 2026-27 budget for housing inmates at other facilities.

Commissioners there voted in October to support finding a consultant to study the feasibility of the proposal.

In Oxford County, Commissioner Lisa Keim said during a board meeting Tuesday that she would like to see more information on costs before deciding to participate in the request for proposals for a joint consultant.

However, commissioners voted to add $40,000 in the 2026 budget for a consultant should they decide to support the effort.