Knox County inmates may soon be transferred to Wiscasset as Two Bridges Regional Jail works on a one-year agreement with the neighboring county. The contract, which outlines the transfer of Knox County’s long-term inmates, has not yet been signed, said Correctional Administrator Col. James Bailey on Tuesday, Nov. 18. The pending contract follows gridlock in Knox County, where the budget advisory committee lacks the membership to take action on the 2026 county budget and consequently can’t adequately fund the county’s jail, the Midcoast Villager reported. Despite pushback from Knox County jail employees, Knox County Commissioners voted to enter a contract with Two Bridges on Monday, Nov. 10, according to the Midcoast Villager. “I know it’s not what everyone wants,” Knox County Commissioner Morgan Hynd said at the meeting. During its Wednesday, Nov. 12 meeting, the Lincoln and Sagadahoc Multicounty Jail Authority voted to authorize Bailey to broach an agreement with Knox County officials. Though the agreement and its details cannot be fully released yet, “Knox County will have a financial obligation,” Bailey said. He expects the agreement to be signed in the coming days. To accommodate the added capacity, the jail authority also authorized Bailey to hire up to 10 new employees. During Knox County’s Nov. 10 meeting, Bailey said he would offer “lateral transfers” to any Knox County jail employees interested in moving to Two Bridges. Unrelated to the Knox County contract, Waldo County will soon stop transferring inmates to Two Bridges, County Administrator Carrie Kipfer said during the commissioner’s Tuesday, Nov. 18 meeting. The Waldo County contract expires at the end of December. The one-year agreement may not be the end of collaborative efforts, as Bailey said Knox County may join Two Bridge’s multicounty jail authority in the future, but there’s no definitive timeline. Knox County Board of Commissioners Chair Ed Glaser and County Administrator Amber Christie did not respond to requests for comment.
https://lcnme.com/currentnews/two-bridges-in-talks-with-knox-county-for-inmates-transfer/
Two Bridges in Talks With Knox County for Inmates Transfer
