FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Monday to stop funding cellphones for county commissioners as of Dec. 31. Only Chairman Gary McGrane of Jay has a cellphone.
Last month’s bill was $12.43 for McGrane’s phone, county Deputy Clerk/Deputy Treasurer Vickie Braley said after the meeting.
Department heads will also be asked to review the list of cellphones in their departments, and to determine if they are absolutely needed.
Commissioner Charles Webster of Farmington had previously asked county Clerk Julie Magoon to give him a list of who has cellphones paid for by the county.
The list was reviewed Monday.
One of the complaints Webster said he has had since he was appointed to the commission in August is the number of cellphones used in county government.
Initially, Webster’s motion was to no longer fund commissioners’ cellphones as of Nov. 1.
Commissioner Clyde Barker of Strong said he has his own cellphone. He felt he should have one so the public could contact him. He said it costs him about $50 a month.
The matter needs to come to a head, Barker said.
“Charlie has complaints about Gary having a cellphone,” he said.
McGrane said the cellphone saves the county money for travel because he can participate in conference calls rather than go to a meeting. He is involved in a lot of committees pertaining to the county, he said.
“The other thing that concerns me is I don’t work in Franklin County,” McGrane said. “I work in Orono.”
It is an older-style phone and not one with a data plan. Constituents can call him on it, he said. He uses the phone for county business, and once in a while his wife calls and he provides her with another phone number he can be reached at. He has a business phone and a home phone, McGrane said. He has also been able to call Magoon when needed.
“The point is it is not the money; it is the public perception,” Webster said. “You need to get a personal phone and use it,” he told McGrane.
There are people who cannot pay their tax bills and are losing their homes, Webster said.
“We are in public service,” he said.
Webster said he cannot justify spending money on cellphones for commissioners and others who don’t need them, he said.
“To me it is not a good use of money,” he said.
Magoon said every call is scrutinized on a phone bill.
Administrators all have email access on their phones. Deputies do not have to come to the Sheriff’s Office to do reports, they can fill in the reports in the cruiser.
Barker asked Webster to amend his motion to stop funding cellphones for commissioners as of Dec. 31.
Webster agreed.
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