AUBURN — Androscoggin County commissioners spent more than an hour in executive session Wednesday night discussing the District Attorney’s Office, but took no action afterward.

Chairperson Sally Christner of Turner said before the executive session that she anticipated a vote, but said afterward that commissioners needed more information before doing so.

The DA’s office is expected to move to the fourth floor of the Peck Center on Main Street in Lewiston following months of problems with the building owner at its home on the second floor at 55 Lisbon St. Problems include an elevator that has not worked since last year and a leaky roof. Earlier this year, the building had no electricity for four consecutive days and the keypad locking system did not work.

A dumpster fire behind the building last month served as the perfect metaphor for the ongoing office woes.

In January, commissioners voted to stop paying the $4,500 monthly rent until the chronic issues with the building get resolved. The building is next to the 8th District Court.

Attendees at the executive session included District Attorney Neil McLean Jr., DA office Manager Mike Perry, real estate agent Chad Sylvester and attorney Michael Malloy.

In other business, commissioners agreed to increase the public safety answering points fees charged to county towns to help pay for emergency dispatch services provided by the county. The per capita cost of $2.68 is being raised to $2.90. The increase will raise slightly under $10,000.

Commissioners also voted to raise such fees charged to towns outside the county from $4.50 to $4.75 per residents. Those towns include Fayette, Manchester, Monmouth, Mount Vernon, Readfield, Wayne and Winthrop.

The cost-of-living adjustment for next year was set at the state rate of 2.54%.

Lane Feldman was promoted by Sheriff Eric Samson as the new jail administrator. Feldman replaces Jeffrey Chute who is the county administrator.

Commissioners learned Wednesday that the county still has $6.2 million in ARPA reserves that has yet to be appropriated. The board has until the end of the year to allocate the funds, or the money must be returned to the federal government.

One proposal that was being considered was to use the money to turn the county building into affordable housing, using the funds as a seed money or a grant agreement before the end of 2024. However, those funds need to be spent by the end of 2026, and Christner said it is unlikely the county can vacate the building by that deadline.

The board set its schedule to review the 2025 county budget. The first meeting will be Aug. 21. The Budget Committee, made up of citizens and municipal officials, will get its first look on Sept. 25.

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