Commissioners urged to fill vacancy in DA’s office

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — Concerns over a six month-old administrative assistant vacancy at the district attorney’s office were brought to the attention of the Piscataquis County commissioners at their regular meeting last week by two representatives of Womancare.
    Witness advocate Julie Ann Brown-Workman told the commissioners one reason that Piscataquis County has a low crime rate was because “we have a very caring district attorney (Christopher Almy). It’s not an easy task for him to serve as district attorney of two counties (Piscataquis and Penobscot), but his job is made easier by having a trusted, professional and capable staff to help things run smoothly during his absence.”

    However, Brown-Workman said that the administrative assistant’s position has been unfilled since Elaine Roberts retired in December 2013.
    “I understand Mr. Almy recommended Miss (Corina) Tibbetts for the position and the commissioners chose another individual,” Brown-Workman said. “Today, I speak in support of Mr. Almy and Miss Tibbetts. On a personal level, I have come to respect them both. Neither one of them has an easy job. Miss Tibbetts has the experience, she’s organized and efficient. She has the respect of each and every one of our law enforcement agencies … the courts, defense attorneys and the community.”
    Executive Director Cindy Freeman-Cyr also said that she is concerned about the unfilled position “because we want to be sure that the people we serve are getting the type of services they need.”
    Tibbetts, a witness advocate for the DA’s office for the past 13 years, also attended the meeting but declined to comment.
Almy arrived after the meeting adjourned and went into an executive session with the county commissioners.
    “The situation is unfortunate and has impaired our office’s ability to perform in the matter we’re supposed to,” Almy told the Observer later. “I can’t get into any specific issues because they were discussed in executive session. But I do feel that Corina (Tibbetts) is highly-qualified for the position. She is an excellent employee.”
    James Annis, chairman of the County Commissioners, said later that no final decision has been made about filling the vacancy “but we’re in discussion with the DA’s office. There have been candidates interviewed for the position, but that’s really all I can say.”
    Commissioners also approved all expenditures at the May 20 meeting and OK’d a request by EMA Director Tom Capraro to keep the agency’s pickup truck at his home instead of at the county parking lot.
    County Manager Marilyn Tourtelotte said that she originally gave Capraro permission to take the vehicle home after the heavy snowfall last winter. “It was a lot more convenient for him to respond to an emergency instead of coming into town and shoveling it out,” she said.
    Capraro, who lives in Willimantic, also said that there’s a lot of valuable equipment in the truck, so he’d rather not leave the vehicle in the parking lot unattended.
    While it’s convenient for him to pick up the truck in Dover-Foxcroft if there’s an emergency in that town or the Milo-Brownville area, Capraro said it’s much easier to respond to calls Sangerville, Guilford or Greenville if he keeps the vehicle at home.
    The MEA also has a mobile command post vehicle stored in a garage in Dover-Foxcroft which is used for major events and emergencies.
    The next commissioners’ meeting will be held on Friday, June 6 at 8:30 a.m. in Dover-Foxcroft instead of the traditional first Tuesday of the month.
    The June 17 meeting will be held at the Milo town office.