Franklin County commissioners are seeking legal advice to determine if they are legally obligated to pay an additional $100,000 demanded by the state Board of Corrections for the cost of housing Franklin County inmates in Somerset County.

In response to a $1.2 million deficit faced by the state’s 15 county jails, the corrections board has adjusted payments made or received by the counties to or from the state jail system for the upcoming year. Franklin County is being billed an additional $100,000 which is roughly equal to the surplus in the county jail budget in each of the past few years.

“That’s still taxpayers’ money and I don’t agree with that,” said Fred Hardy, chairman of the Franklin County commissioners. “I’m opposed to paying it, because I don’t think we should (pay) just because we have money in the kitty, so to speak.”

Franklin County Sheriff Scott Nichols said previously he anticipated having only about a $80,000 in unspent money this year.

As part of the state’s unified jail system, Franklin County’s jail was reduced to a 72-hour holding center. Prisoners who spend more than three days in jail are transferred to the Somerset County Jail and the county pays about $600,000 annually to the corrections board to board its prisoners.

Hardy said he wants the commissioners to consult with the county’s attorney, Frank Underkuffler, to see if the board would face any penalties if it refuses to pay the additional money or if the new law governing the state’s jails means the dictates of the corrections board must be obeyed.

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“I felt it made sense to have a legal opinion on it,” he said.

The Board of Corrections, which governs the unified jail, gained additional powers in May, when legislation was passed that increased the scope of the board’s authority. The law was intended to help alleviate a financial crisis facing the state’s jails, and was seen as having the goal of eventually winning more funding from the Legislature.

Ryan Thornell, executive director of the corrections board, said that while the Legislature can provide full funding in the next budget cycle, the jails will have to wait until the next fiscal year to see if those funds are approved.

Kaitlin Schroeder — 861-9252

kschroeder@centralmaine.com


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