The long search for a site for the proposed regional jail is over. Lincoln and Sagadahoc Commissioners announced Monday, June 2, that a site had been selected and an option to buy the land has been signed.

The proposed site is off Route 1 in Wiscasset, accessible by a dirt road located between Maine Antiques and the Maine Country Store. The purchase option is for 70 acres at a cost of $300,000. The land is owned by Walter and Nancy Leavitt. A non-refundable deposit of $5,000, split between the two counties, was included with the signed agreement.

The facility will be built about 1,200 feet from the Route 1 entrance, according to Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett

"Lincoln and Sagadahoc Counties are boldly going where no two counties have gone before, in creating the first joint correctional facility in the State of Maine, if not in New England," Bond said.

"Many long and hard hours of research and the development of ideas have brought us here today," Bond said.

"By securing this property, we can continue to move forward with the planning and public education for this jail project," Bond added, "and move toward a two county vote on November 4, 2003.

"This project is badly needed," Commissioner William Blodgett said. "The cost is something that gives us all second thoughts, but with a good education program we will show how badly needed a regional jail really is."

A study done last year predicts the cost to be between $17 million to $20 million. This does not include any money that may come from grants.

"Twenty million is the high end of the ballpark figure," Sagadahoc County Commissioner Crispin Connery said. "We need to refine our figures, and hopefully have a successful resolution this fall."

"I am elated to have the option on the site," Sagadahoc County Sheriff Mark Westrum said. "Our inmate numbers continue to grow and our ability to deal with the growing problem is limited."

"Over the past nine years, Sagadahoc County has paid about $10 million dollars to other facilities to house our inmates, and we have nothing to show for it," Westrum said.

"Public campaigning has already begun in Sagadahoc for this project," Westrum said. "It makes the best sense for the taxpayers, and everyone concerned to support it in November."

Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett said he is looking forward to moving ahead with the plans for the jail, and working closely with the residents around the site.

One of the questions asked by a reporter was how much money will be saved by sharing the cost. Although, the exact figures are not final, Commissioner John O'Connell said by sharing the capital cost, there is an approximate saving of $2 to $2.5 million or over $1 million per county.

According to the commissioners, the price is comparable to other properties in the area. The average price for an acre of land in this area is $4,000 to $5,500 per acre, and the cost of this parcel is about $4,400 per acre.

The time line for its completion is about two and half years. The two counties have been working for nearly two years on the jail project.