Franklin County enters agreement with corrections officers to feed inmates - Lewiston Sun Journal

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FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a memorandum of understanding with the corrections officers union in order for them to serve meals to inmates on weekends.

Commissioners also voted to set limits on the amount of money that would be awarded from the tax-increment finance program for education scholarships and projects in the unorganized territory.

Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said there is no weekend help in the kitchen at the Detention Center.

There are two full-time cooks and a part-time cook who has child care issues related to the state of emergency for the new coronavirus pandemic.

A second, part-time cook resigned because of concerns over the coronavirus. Advertisement for a part-time position to work weekends was unsuccessful.

Nichols has put a full-time cook position at 32.5 hours a week in the proposed 2020-21 jail budget. It would eliminate the part-time positions and allow for a cook on weekends. The kitchen staff is not in a union.

The kitchen staff has stepped up to make meals ahead of time, he said.

The union representing corrections officers wanted a memorandum of understanding regarding officers feeding inmates on the weekend, Nichols said. It expires on Sept. 1.

For breakfast, corrections officers will serve cold cereal, juice and milk Saturday. For all other meals, including Sunday breakfast, inmates will be served hot meals warmed in the warming cart. Corrections officers will be required to take the frozen meals and put them in the cart earlier in the day so they are hot when served.

Commissioner Charles Webster of Farmington said he didn’t understand why there needed to be a memorandum of understanding with the union in place to feed the inmates.

When it comes to negotiations with the corrections officers union, Webster said, it should be part of the next negotiations of a contract.

“It’s crazy,” he said.

The union will enter its last year of a contract on July 1, Magoon said. It expires June 30, 2021.

In other business, commissioners accepted the recommendations of an advisory committee for funding limits pertaining to the unorganized territory tax-increment enterprise and financing agreement.

The limit was set at an overall $50,000 for an education scholarship and $100,000 for a project.

Commissioners reserved the right to increase the limits to fund projects, if it will bring jobs and economic development to the county.

The county entered into a tax-increment financing district agreement with TransCanada Maine Wind Development Inc. in 2008 in regards to the 44-turbine Kibby wind energy facility in northern Franklin County. TransCanada sold the facility to Helix Maine Wind Development LLC on June 5, 2017.

In another county matter, Magoon said the Budget Advisory Committee will begin its review of a proposed 2020-21 county budget at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

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