Officials pondering options for walkway

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom SHOULD IT STAY OR SHOULD IT GO? — County officials are considering tearing down or keeping in place the walkway connecting the courthouse and jail, which during the winter can pose a safety hazard due to falling ice. The structure has not been used as a go-between for a number of decades and it and currently serves as storage space for the sheriff’s office.

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Years ago an elevated, enclosed walkway was used to go between the second floors of the county courthouse and jail. Today the short structure serves as storage space for the sheriff’s office, and is blocked off on the courthouse side.

With snow and ice falling off the walkway creating a safety hazard, the idea of tearing down the walkway has been discussed by county officials. The Piscataquis County Commissioners examined the concept some more during a May 3 meeting after being presented with a demolition proposal from Mid-South Engineering of Millinocket.

“This is not something we have to do immediately but it is something that has been identified by the safety committee as an issue,” Interim County Manager Tom Lizotte said. He said estimates had been difficult to get as the courthouse side of the walkway would need to be fixed and the walkway also contains a pipe for the sprinkler system and electrical connections running between the two buildings.

Lizotte said Mid-South Engineering provided a $41,500 estimate for the project, and these funds could come from the over $85,000 in the building improvement account. “We’re talking months into the future if you decide to do that,” Lizotte said, saying the sheriff’s office would first need to move its items stored in the walkway. “The money exists to do that and my feeling is eventually we need to do this,” he said.

Head of Maintenance David Ronco said the walkway could contain some layers of lead paint and possibly asbestos. He said the sprinkler pipe would need to remain between the two buildings, and even with a protective covering there would be a threat of falling ice damage.

“Obviously we have to do something, I’d like to have a tour of the place,” Commissioners Chair Fred Trask said.

Sheriff John Goggin, who said the walkway has likely been in place for at least 70 years, said he would much rather see the funds to take the structure down be put toward a new sheriff’s complex. “There’s ways of working around it, it won’t be convenient,” Goggin said, such as having the area underneath the walkway be blocked off in most circumstances during the winter months.

“Maybe we should be looking at the bigger picture, the ice is more than the walkway,” Commissioner James White said, as a hazard is still posed by the courthouse roof. “We should probably look at what are options are to get it done complete,” he said.

“That hardship is a noticeable one and it might help your plight in the future,” White told Goggin about the efforts for a new home for the sheriff’s office.

The commissioners took no action on the engineering proposal, with Trask saying they will look at the walkway again in the future.

In other business, the commissioners opened and reviewed four bids for this season’s paving work in the Unorganized Territories with about 0.9 miles over four roads in Barnard, Ebeemee and Orneville set to be done.

The bid was awarded to Wellman Paving of Winterport, who submitted the lowest bid at $85,650. Lizotte said this company worked for the county last year paving in Williamsburg.

Lizotte said up to $110,000 was budgeted for the paving with another $30,000 set aside in capital reserve. “This is good news because we can get this done under budget and carry forward $55,000 for 2017,” he said, with a larger project scheduled for Elliotsville next year.

County Emergency Management Agency Tom Capraro said he and Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Sgt. Gary Grant have been touring the region to examine the five communication towers either owned or used in part by the county.

“We are trying to find out where we have bad equipment and where we can replace with new equipment,” Grant said. “It’s all legwork at this time.”

“We are just basically trying to find out how we can improve it and what equipment we would like so we can upgrade,” Grant said. He said the total costs would be between $100,000 and $150,000 and “we are looking at grants and possibly also doing it in steps.”

Trask suggested Grant and Capraro think about any related requests that could be part of next year’s budget.