ALFRED — Four new deputies have been added to the  York County Sheriff’s Office, swelling the ranks after a county government layoff last year left the rural patrol division stretched to provide coverage to the 14 towns it patrols.

As well, York County Commissioners Wednesday agreed, some rather reluctantly, to approve hiring five new corrections staff at York County Jail, several months after Sheriff Maurice Ouellette first asked the board to approve the hirings to fill vacancies.

In the patrol division, commissioners approved hiring Troy Chenard of Waterboro, who had been employed at Sanford Police Department; Thomas Searway of Parsonsfield, who had been a Saco Police officer; Robert Carr of Limington, a county patrol reserve officer who had worked in the family wood harvesting business; and Duane Fay of Waterboro, a former North Berwick reserve officer and self-employed contractor. Carr and Fay will report for training at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro in January.

The four new officers were introduced to commissioners Wednesday.

Sheriff Maurice Ouellette said he is in the process of hiring one more deputy, closing the gap left from September’s layoffs.

A financial crisis last summer promoted the pay-off of 24 employees throughout county government. This spring, after a budget was approved that saw municipalities accept more of a tax bite, about 15 positions were restored, including five in the patrol division. Some of those who had been laid off were returned to work to fill other vacancies and others had found jobs elsewhere, prompting the search for new officers.

At York County Jail, Ouellette had asked commissioners to approve hiring five officers to fill vacancies back in May. But the five-member board took no action at that time.

Ouellette, noting there were were 11 vacancies at the jail when he originally requested commissioners approve the jail hirings, said there are 16 vacancies now.

The vacancy figure isn’t unusual. Nationwide, there is an annual turnover rate among jail and prison staff of about 30 percent, Ouellette has previously said.

County Manager Richard Brown on Wednesday said he supported the hiring.

“I’m ready to relent and okay up to five,” said Brown, noting the prospective employees had already been interviewed for the spots.

“I will support these five because they’ve been interviewed, but with no reflection on the jail or the sheriff I can’t bring myself to support hiring additional staff,” said Commissioner Gary Sinden. He said he believes the $8.667 million annual jail cap ”“ the amount the county must ante-up to pay for jail operations under the state consolidation law ”“ is, in his opinion, overstated by $1 million. 

“We’re not being funded properly by the state,” he said, noting that the county is housing approximately 40 prisoners form other jurisdictions. He said he believes county programs are suffering because of lack of proper state funding.

“If money is needed to pay for county programs we should send the (40 prisoners) home,” Sinden added.

Commissioner Richard Dutremble said he agreed with Sinden, but noted that even if the county saved money at the jail, it would still be obligated to pay the $8.667 annual cap fee, with any savings spread throughout the jail system.

“It will go to the state only if we write the check,” Sinden said.

— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.