This is quite possibly the dumbest idea that I have ever heard!!! Sherrifs need county issued cars that are set up to meet their needs. Most are set up for longevity. The county will just end up buying the deputy's personal car early, paying mileage, and costly repairs. Geeze get you heads out of ur arse! The state road crews don't need a state four door truck, and the bridge inspectors don't need a state vehicle to drive home, and the cooperative extension people don't need company cars, and the ATV tasks force doesn't need a company car, and FEMA doesn't need 40 company cars, and the baldacci administration doesn't need a car, but the darn County Sherrif should have a car and should be allowed to bring it home too!!! This state is in need of some serious special education!!! This is definately the dumbest idea that I have ever heard!!! PERIOD!!!

The sheriffs should be paid mileage for their own cars period. The reimbursement for mileage covers all aspects including insurance and maintenance. There is no plan in the country that makes a civil servant (and that is what they are) have their agency pay for maintenance insurance and other aspects as those items are included in the mileage. Military personnel get reimbursed, state workers get reimbursed and federal workers get reimbirsed. These folks at the county level need to face reality and what we the taxpayer are faced with. I believe most of the sheriffs in our state are Republicans but their philosophy has turned to give me more money. Wake up and see what the shortfall for the state is.... MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS! This is the old not in my back yars type thinking. Wake up and face reality of 2010 and the shortfall we all face.

I think law enforcement has taken enough hits. too much crime to cut more out of law enforcement. who comes up with these ideas anyway. cut at the top, county commissioners, county administrators, fema directors etc. they are to full of themselves and are all overpaid and who knows about their hidden percs and bennies.

If the towns need more money for the raises for the teachers, police, or town workers, increase the property tax in town. That is what they do in my town. They get their raise every year. Brand new schools every 20 yrs. I'm getting sick of paying almost $10,000 a year to my town for a 2700 sq ft house.

I know how to settle this fairly. Let the high sheriff and his hired hand use the dirt bikes they wasted taxpayer money on by sending a deputy to Texas to get them. For a few extra bucks we could have blues put on e'm. How's those bikes coming along? Just needed a little tinkering and a battery, yeah right.

STUPID SUGGESTION!

I think using there personal vehicle is a good idea seeing in the article the Sheriff said his car was low milage. I think the other two Sherriffs that oppose the move are affraid it will happen to them next. There more concerned about there status than saving the taxpayers money

Piscataquis County should be careful in looking at how they achieve this "potential" cost savings. Before they make a decision, a look at the utilization of the two vehicles in question should be made in regard to providing public safety. Even though the Sheriff's duty is to maintain the jail, many citizens have come to rely upon their County Sheriff for emergency / public safety situations. As well, it doesn't take too many miles to diminish any "potential savings". On the flip side, I don't understand why they need an SUV for these purposes or even to patrol in most instances for that matter. An older cruiser with higher mileage would be the perfect immediate solution in my thoughts. You have to remember (County government) that people are making sacrifices, the State of Maine is making sacrifices (at least on appearance), municipal government is making sacrifices. The point here is that you have to at least make an effort of showing sacrifice, but it doesn't have to be a complete removal of that service.

Perhaps if Mr Lizotte and Crew had not voted to give the County Jail to the State, there would be $400,000-$500,000 dollars of revenue to help

finance county public safety. Perhaps if decisions were based on what is important to the people of Piscataquis County and not what the "local

Bud club thinks" or what political aspirations one may have or how important one needs to feel about himself, our county would not be in the financial

state that it is in. When you cut public safety who do you put at risk? Maybe if the Sheriff belonged to the "Bud Club" he wouldn't have to worry about

his line item budgets,perhaps he could even get stipends for mileage and meals, long and short term disability etc etc etc. I think not!!! You gave away

the County Jail,you attempted to give away the County 911 Dispatch Center and now you attempt to take away more. Are you really looking out for the

interests of the people of your county and are you really interested in the preservation of County Government?

In defense of the "bud club", it is my understanding that the jails were not given to the State of Maine; but, in fact, the State of Maine / BOC was going to take them with full control. The collaboration of efforts by the county governments in Maine made a grand case of evidence in support that counties could run more efficiently than under state control. Surprise ... Surprise ....

How about getting rid of some Border Patrol pick ups/ SUV's. They have plenty that never move out of their parking spot!!

Good one Tonya1!!! You're exactly right! They drive freakin hummers with tinted windows, mag wheels, and suspension lifts, that the rest of us cannot have. They're also loaded with boats, snowmobiles, ATV's, and gawd knows what else is hidden in their garages. They don't need all this stuff. Sherriffs NEED their cars! I've never witnessed a Sherriff mistreat a person, but I cannot say that about the big head troopers, Local Police, and especially the Ego strewn Game Wardens. Sherriffs have a short leash and continue to have stringent oversight. This is a prime example of how law enforcement is supposed to function! Give the Sherriffs their cars! For cryin out loud, they're one of the few public officials that actually work for the people!

I live in Aroostook County and drive by the border patrol daily. Recently I counted 12 suv/trucks and 2 boats all at the border patrol. My 5 yrs old asked "is that a place they sell cars"? For those of you that will comment saying they probably had a meeting you are wrong they are there day in and day out. And if you have ever traveled on the roads here you all know that cars do not stay clean!! Their vechile's are always pretty shiny. I even saw new trucks getting unloaded from a car carrier yesterday!!! I can see it now the sherrifs will be throwing there little blue llights up on the roof to pull some one over. Mabye they should use horses then they would not have to worry about car insurance and mileage:)

This is probably a good idea. It should be studied carefully. There are many administrators in many public agencies using vehicles owned by the agencyies and paid for with taxpayer dollars. They pay no automotive maintenance, insurance, taxes, registration fees, etc. Some of them have phones installed in their cars which the company pays for. This is a substantial benefit which they do not even report on their tax returns. All active duty police officers, however, should have the use of a public car while they are working.

Is this Lizotte guy as numb as he appears to be? Whether or not the Sheriff and Chief Deputy regularly patrol isn't the issue. The issue is that they are in the position of authority and there to respond to the highest of emergency situations to support their patrol deputies. How would it look to have them trying to respond to deaths, suicides or other high profile matters in their own vehicles. Let alone the fact that they certainly wouldn't be able to support thier patrol staff in a timely manner if they don't have an emergency vehicle to do this in. The fact that their vehicles have low milage are a testament to the fact that they don't use the county vehicles for personal use. Maybe Lizotte would be happier if they hitchhiked to work and necessary calls. Lizotte, you're an idiot, I'd hate to see what else you're trying to achieve with your dumb ideas.

I agree with , Mainefriend

Lizotte alone cannot institute any policy changes - Remember he has an ally in Fabulous Fred Trask as well.

Those in charge are the ones least likely to know what is really going on - on a day to day basis.

Piscataquis County is very lucky to have John Goggin as Sheriff and Dale Clukey as Chief Deputy as well.

Thsee kinds of things just make it harder and harder to do ones job. John and Dale have done an excellent job over the years and should be commended

for it- not condemned for their good efforts. Re-inventing the wheel is not the answer !!!!

This is a large county and sometimes there are only two deputies on-duty at a given time. There are times when either the Sheriff or his Chief Deputy have to respond to either assist a deputy or even to respond to an emergency because no one else is immediately available or close by. I live in Piscataquis County and can imagine a scenario when someone I know (friend, family member) would be in need of asssitance and the closest law officer would be the Sheriff or the Chief Deputy. I would gladly pay my share of the marginal, incremental additional cost to have these adminitrators / law officers be able to respond in County-owned and equiped cruisers rather than to rely upon their own personal vehicles which may or may not be properly equipped or maintained. We're not talking about the conveneince of using a publicly-owned vehicle to travel between home and the office: we're talkming about the ability to use a county vehicle, properly equipped with lights, sirens, radio, and related equipment to properly respond to an emergency.

What happens the first time the Sheriff or his Chief Deputy responds to a situation where a member of the public is in danger (e.g., domestic situation, hostage, armed robbery, trapped person, etc.) and the Sheriff or Chief Deputy's vehicle fails to start, breaks down en route, or cannot pass through traffic because it is not equipped with lights and sirens? Who is responsible for the outcome of such a situation then?

The Sheriff and his Chief Deputy, so long as they are expected to respond to emergencies, need to have a properly-equipped county vehicle available to each of them.

What happens if, in the process of responding to a call, the Sheriff or his deputy, God forbid, were involved in an accidental crash that resulted in a civilian fatality. Would Goggin/Clukey be held personally liable as the insurance on the vehicles would be private?

This whole ridiculous scenario is asking for trouble.

I hate to see what comes next from this buffoon Lizotte and his troop!

I for one applaud the County Commissioners and our new County manager. For once we have a board that is looking at every aspect of the county budget and trying to streamline it and hopefully save us taxpayers money. The county has always been inefficient and to have a board that will dare step on some toes of some whiny babies, who act like children by going into a tantrum when they should be defending and explaining in an adult manner why cutting certain items or modifying some budget items may not be a good idea. Seems to me the high sheriff had more to say after and outside the meeting than in it. Maybe it's time to look at the problem John and maybe it's you' A younger more educated sheriff might be needed.