Commissioners appoint new full-time corrections officer

Bids accepted
for four cruisers
and a new generator

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Piscataquis County Commissioners approved the hiring of Kayla Goodine as a full-time corrections officer during last week’s meeting and also accepted bids for four patrol cruisers and a new generator for the jail.
    Goodine has been employed as a part-time corrections officer for the past three years and was one of four candidates interviewed for the full-time position, according to Interim Jail Administrator Maria Landry. “She was the unanimous choice of the screening committee,” Landry said.

    Interim County Manager Tom Lizotte, who participated in the screening process, said that Goodine has been working almost full-time lately because of a staffing shortage at the jail. “All four were good candidates,” said Lizotte, “and some might be considered for future openings.”
    Goodine also has completed corrections officer training at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, Landry said.
    The vote to approve the recommended appointment was unanimous.
    In other business handled at the Feb. 3 meeting, commissioners accepted the sole bid of $41,896 for a new generator from Maine Solar and Generator in Milo, owned and operated by Kent Ladd. The price includes installation, accessories and a tank of fuel.
    Landry explained that they sent out three bid solicitations for the generator, but only Ladd responded. Replacement of the 25-year-old unit was on a list of recommendations during the most-recent jail inspection.
    Commissioners debated the wisdom of accepting a sole bid for a while, but Lizotte pointed out that the other vendors had plenty of time to respond but choose not to.
    “I just wanted to make sure the price was in the ballpark,” said Fred Trask, chairman of the commissioners.
    Chief Deputy Robert Young added that the engineer who drew up the specifications for the bid “felt that the price (of the unit) was very competitive.”
    Commissioner James White said that as long as the old generator was still working – not necessarily at maximum capacity – it should be put out to bid. “I know a lot of dairy farmers who could use a 20-year-old generator,” he said.
    The commissioners agreed and will decide the next course of action when the new unit is hooked up.
    Darling’s Ford of Bangor was awarded the bid for the cruiser package at $29,891 each for four Ford Explorer Police Interceptors, although commissioners expressed their personal preference to “buy local” if possible.
    The other bids were $31,265 per vehicle from Prouty Ford of Dover-Foxcroft and $30,405 from Quirk Auto Group of Bangor.
    Sheriff John Goggin agreed that it was a “hard decision when you’re bidding against a local firm” but said that Darling’s bid was “exactly what we’re looking for.”
    The deal-breaker was the inclusion of two sets of tires for each vehicle from Darling’s, which Goggin said would save the county “several thousand dollars.”
    Commissioner James Annis made the motion to accept the Darling’s bid, even though he said it was a tough choice “because I’ve dealt with Prouty’s. But how can you tell the taxpayers that you want to spent more money?” White voted “yes” and Trask abstained.
    Commissioners also approved a license for the Friends of Squaw Mountain to conduct two poker run fundraisers — one at the ski area and one in Greenville. Since it’s a gaming event, the organizers needed to get a license from the state police after gaining approval from the local government entity.
    The next county commissioners’ meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 8:30 a.m.