William Dingee

The meeting involved recognizing several community groups and organizations for their contributions, including Camp Sunshine, Falmouth 300, Friends of Libby Hill, Naples Main Street, Friends of New Gloucester Public Library, Raymond Revitalization Committee, Windham Library Board of Trustees, Cape Farm Alliance, Westbrook Children's Project, Art in the Park show and sale in South Poland, and the Portland Fire Department. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the 'Spirit of America' award ceremony. The board then moved to consent agenda approvals, which included Sheriff Office commissions for November/December 2018, awarding a bid for re-roofing the Community Corrections building, purchasing a secondary generator for the EMA Center, and contracts for an energy management system and ice tech floor system. The County Manager provided updates, noting October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and recognizing efforts in Portland for illumination, and anticipating a tight labor market affecting future staffing. The discussion also covered the upcoming elections and the ongoing budget review process by the Finance Committee.

The meeting initiated a new program to feature a department each month for an update on their activities, starting with Public Health. The Public Health update detailed their alignment with the County Health Improvement Plan, focusing on chronic disease prevention across substance use, tobacco, and healthy eating/active living, with an emphasis on achieving Health Equity by centering historically marginalized groups and focusing on community conditions. Specific projects discussed included a Community Strategic Planning process with Lake Region High School to support student well-being and prevent vape use, and targeted support for LGBTQ+ youth through training youth-serving organizations to create inclusive environments. The Healthy Eating and Active Living initiatives included establishing the Cumberland County Food Resources Coalition to coordinate efforts, advocate for better SNAP application access, and address food insecurity. Infrastructure projects highlighted included broadband service expansion, assistance with permanent housing, South Portland/Westbrook Street shared-use path completion (improving ADA compliance), the Harpswell Wharf replacement, heat pump installation at the Long Island School library, and improvements to the Clark Pond walkway.

The workshop and meeting focused primarily on the Cumberland County Jail's staffing and financial issues. A detailed presentation outlined the extensive seven-week hiring process, noting that candidates often obtain other employment during this delay. Reasons for candidate attrition were reviewed, including failure to meet requirements, polygraph results, and voluntary departures. Staff turnover data since 2020 indicated a 50 percent loss of hired correctional officers, with overtime, work-life balance, and force structure cited as primary reasons for leaving. Future concerns include 10 staff members being over age 60 and eligible for retirement soon, and the next Criminal Justice Academy class for correctional staff being delayed until May, which will exacerbate summer staffing deficits. The budget discussion emphasized the need to prepare for potential deficit spending to address current shortfalls and reach a sustainable budget.

The meeting commenced with the call to order. A key action taken early was tabling item 22-0-2-0 from the consent agenda regarding the Sheriff's office accepting the Violence Against Women Act funding due to the need for additional information. The informational reports included a presentation from the Cumberland County Regional Communications Center detailing their 2021 annual report, noting an exponential increase in the level of violence in domestic incidents received since the COVID-19 period, and issues with staff retention leading to a staffing level of nine fully trained dispatchers. The Community Development Director provided an update on the HOME ARP program funds allocated through the American Rescue Plan, intended specifically for homelessness initiatives. The plan involves dividing funds, with 30% for public services for homeless individuals and 70% for the creation of permanent affordable housing or permanent non-congregate shelters, as opposed to traditional congregate shelters or tenant rental assistance. Discussion also clarified that non-congregate shelters can include converting existing hotels. Following public comments, the consent agenda included the approval of the CCR contract with the town of Bridgeton for 2022 during 2025, which included a four percent increase. The meeting then moved to the first reading of the ARPA advisory committee's final recommendations.

The meeting commenced with the approval of the minutes from a previous session. An informational report was provided regarding a minor amendment to CDBG funds due to a formula mishap by HUD, which did not require formal commissioner action. The commissioners welcomed a new administrative and special projects team member, Katherine Cahoon, who will assist with administrative tasks, particularly regarding stimulus funds distribution. The consent agenda involved the approval of the MSAD 61 law enforcement service contract and the purchase of a heated banquet cabinet for the jail and an electric steamer. There was also discussion and approval of the Town of Long Island summer contract, with clarification provided on its duration. New business focused on the approval of the FY 2021-2022 Cross Insurance Arena budget, which included a detailed financial forecast emphasizing conservative estimates for event bookings and ticket revenue due to lingering economic concerns post-pandemic. Discussions covered fluctuations in net rent income based on the mix of rental versus co-promoter deals, rising ancillary expenses despite lower projected event counts, and details on surcharge/facility fees and ticketing convenience fees.