SKOWHEGAN — Somerset County commissioners Wednesday voted to increase the rate of pay for reserve county deputies from $12 per hour to $13 per hour.

Calling the deal a bargain compared to what other agencies are paying, commissioners said $13 per hour is low pay for the work. Commissioner Phil Roy of Fairfield said the money is in the sheriff’s budget and will not have to be allocated from new taxes or overspending the current budget.

“I think reserve officers putting a gun on and defending this county for 13 bucks an hour is still a steal for us,” Roy said. “We’re very appreciative of the work that they do.”

James Ross, chief deputy for the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department, said he and Sheriff Dale Lancaster surveyed other agencies and found that Somerset County was paying less than most for reserve officers. Raising the pay puts the county in a position to be more competitive to attract and keep reserve officers, he said.

“We’re kind of in the same situation right now as with firefighters — it’s hard to get them, it’s hard to hold them,” Ross told commissioners. “We like to be in a position where we are competitive to hold onto what we have.”

Commissioner Lloyd Trafton of West Forks cautioned commissioners in the future not to discuss non-union wages in a public session, and Commissioner Robert Dunphy, the board chairman, agreed.

Reserve officers usually come from local police departments to fill in shifts and are non-union when working for the sheriff’s department. Union patrol deputies are paid about $18 per hour. New union contracts with the county are currently in negotiation, he said.

Lancaster said before the meeting that the sheriff’s patrol force is made up of nine deputies and a patrol sergeant for a total of 10. He said that number, plus himself, Ross and four detectives, is the roster approved in the current budget by county commissioners.

“I think retention wise, there’s a value for retention of the reserve deputies that we have,” Lancaster said. “They’re required to do annual training, and by its definition, reserve deputies usually have a job someplace else. My biggest reason for doing this is the fair market price for the geographical area we’re in, and I thought $13 was not too much to do the task we’ve asked them to do.”

The sheriff’s department is working with a $1.8 million annual budget, not including the cost to run the jail and the debt to pay off the jail.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @Doug_Harlow

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