Question 1: Tell us more about the county jail’s new contract with the federal government.
In August the Cumberland County jail signed a new contract with the federal government to hold federal prisoners in the jail in addition to state criminals.
The contract is worth up to $5.6 million if Cumberland holds the maximum number of federal prisoners. But the County is only estimating they’ll make $2 million bc they might not have enough staff for all those inmates.
The county says it’s an important part of their funding and will help reduce costs for local taxpayers. They had a similar contract but the federal government ended it in 2022 because of staffing shortages - almost half of the jail’s positions were vacant and some officers were working three overtime shifts a week.
Question 2: How has the county’s budget over the last few years dealt with the changing revenue for the jail?
Wages and salaries for full-time employees:
2020: $14.2 million
2021: $15.7 million
2022: $12.4 million
2023: $12.1 million
2024: $13.4 million
2025: $14.2 million
Tax Dollars needed to fund jail:
2022: $14.8 million
2023: $15.4 million
2024: $15.4 million
2025: $16 million (estimated before new contract awarded)
Contract ended in 2022 because of staffing shortages. They’ve hired more people since then, but even today there’s 63 vacant positions (as of budget passing).
The county is framing the contract as funding they need to reduce tax burden. But most of the $2 million is just paying for staffing increases over the last few years that allowed them to get the contract back in the first place. It’s almost like they’re breaking even.
Obviously it’s more complicated than that; there are other benefits to not being understaffed besides just financial impacts. But the county’s claim that taxpayers will spend less money than before is something we’ll have to keep track of, because it’s not a certainty.
Question 3: How much are employees earning at the jail?
Some employees are still doing well for themselves amid the staffing shortages, partially because it leads to high overtime payments.
Jail Administrator Tim Kortes: $115,000
Captain Erik Frigon: $102,000
Lieutenant Donald Mowatt $103,000
Lieutenant Robert Shaw $100,000
The jail says they have nine lieutenants, and our records show they each make roughly $100,000.
Chaplain Jeffrey McIlwain $60,000
Assistant Michelle Noyes $75,000
Records Clerk David Dunneman $60,000
Question 4: There have also been some lawsuits filed against the jail recently. Can you give us the details on those?
In July the family of James Mannion sued the jail for wrongful death. Mannion was in jail on drug charges and died from overdosing. The lawsuit claims Mannion asked for help with his withdrawal symptoms, but the jail gave him poor medical care and refused to give him medicine that potentially could have helped.
And this week the Press Herald reported that Vinal Thompson, one of the jail’s corrections officers is suing the county, Sheriff Kevin Joyce, and County Manager James Gailey for violating his due process.
Thompson was fired three years ago and charged with assault after a physical fight with an inmate. But a federal judge ruled it was self-defense, and he returned to work this April.
We don’t know yet how much both plaintiffs are asking for in damages. But if there is a settlement, we’ll get those numbers for you.