Sheriff’s office looks to continue patrol office space lease in Guilford

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office plans to keep its patrol division housed in Guilford at the former primary school building — the law enforcement space more recently was the home of the SAD 4 administrative office suite — for another three years after the county commissioners approved extending the space lease through the end of 2022 during a March 5 meeting. A formal document should be signed during an upcoming session.

In an effort to alleviate cramped conditions and lack of privacy inside the main sheriff’s office in the same larger complex as the Piscataquis County Jail on Court Street in Dover-Foxcroft, last May the patrol and investigation divisions of the sheriff’s department moved up Route 15 to Guilford. County officials signed a year lease with building owner Dave Clark at a monthly cost of $1,200 with heat and utilities included.

“In May the lease we have now expires, he is looking to do a multie-year lease and we would like to too because it would provide some stability,” Sheriff Bob Young said. He said Clark presented two lease proposals with one starting right after May at a rate of $1,500 a month for three years and the other continuing the $1,200 rent for the remainder of 2019 and then going to $1,600 per month for 2020-22. Utilities would still be included under both options.

“By waiting we save a few thousand dollars,” Commissioner Wayne Erkkinen said. The same rate for the rest of 2019 also keeps the budget stable.

Young said he spoke with Guilford Town Manager Tom Goulette about the community-owned home of Mayo Regional Hospital’s Guilford Medical Associates, which will be closing next month. Young said the rent for this facility would be $1,800 plus the cost of utilities.

“They are hoping to attract some type of professional business in there,” the sheriff said. He said the agency’s current Guilford office “is a good space for us, it’s working well.”

“The other consideration is rather than moving again, we have IT set up there and copiers,” County Manager Tom Lizotte said.

“We all knew that was an introductory rate,” Commissioners Chair James White said. “I guess the big thing is it’s working well.”

In other business, Piscataquis County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Tom Capraro said he was scheduled to go before the Dover-Foxcroft Planning Board later in the week for plan revisions on an agency storage garage for vehicles and equipment on the county’s East Main Street campus. The facility would go from two storeys to one and this should help reduce the construction costs.

“I have been in contact with some contractors and I’m still waiting to get some prices from some of them so that should be done in the next week or so,” Capraro said.

The EMA director also said he met representatives from American Legion Post 94 in Greenville to discuss the possibility of using the Post home on Pritham Avenue in an emergency. The American Legion building has a large kitchen and regularly serves large public breakfasts and suppers.

Capraro said he is looking at funding sources for a generator for the building. He said the Greenville school is a designated emergency shelter, with a generator in place, but the American Legion could help fill a need in a time of crisis.

“The American Legion is willing to step up and take care of the feeding,” Capraro said. “It should be a win-win for both of us.”