Knox County says goodbye to Maines and Dennison

Wed, 12/12/2018 - 10:00pm

    ROCKLAND – Knox County Commissioners held their monthly meeting in chambers at the Knox County Courthouse on Wednesday, December 11. The meeting marked the departure of one commissioner and a Knox County Sheriff. Carol Maines presided over her last meeting as chairwoman of the Knox County Commissioners. She will be replaced when Dorothy Meriwether is sworn in for District 1 on December 31.

    Knox County Sheriff Donna Dennison attended her last commissioners’ meeting in that capacity. She will be replaced when newly elected sheriff Tim Carol is sworn in December 31.

    On retirement, Dennison said she was both looking forward to retirement and not looking forward to it.

    “I’m going to miss my employees,” she said. “They were like my family. I think things are in good order and Tim should do just fine.”

    Maines will have served eight years as a Knox County Commissioner when her term expires.

    “I first took office the year they did the salary study and it was very contentious,” she said. A lot of people from the public showed up and basically said we’re not getting raises, why should you?”

    Maines said that during the salary study it was discovered that some people were under paid compared to their counterparts in public and private employment.

    Maines said that over her eight years as a commissioner county services have improved. The budget, she agreed, is always a lot of work.

    “I also feel things have improved as far as management and labor within the county,” she said. “And that’s why we have a budget committee. We’ve not always agreed in previous years what the county’s role is. Some of the commissioners felt that there should be a bigger component of economic development, but the budget committee didn’t feel that way and that’s why we had some years where the budget committee passed it without that and the commissioners passed it with it and the budget committee overruled the commissioners.”

    Maines said the budget committee has been fair to the county.

    Following the commissioners’ meeting a reception was held for Dennison and Maines.

    Knox County Administrator Andrew Hart presented certificates to both.

    Hart said Maines was elected to serve on the Knox County Commissioners in 2010 and was sworn in January, 2011. She served as chair for the commissioners in both 2013 and 2014, then again in 2017 and 2018.

    “She was also instrumental in construction of the Knox County Public Safety Building,” he said. “She was involved with the airport’s new terminal building and many projects with the airport. And many needed repairs to the Knox County Courthouse.”

    Hart said he would miss Maines as a commissioner and a friend and wished her good luck in her retirement.

    Hart said Donna Dennison was first hired as a corrections officer in 1986.

    “She served in that roll for seven months,” he said. “She took a hiatus from the county and came back in June of 1990 as a temporary, full-time dispatcher. I wasn’t here in 1990, but I was trying to figure out what a temporary, full-time dispatcher was.”

    Hart said she went to a part-time dispatcher and then a full-time dispatcher.

    “On January 17, 1991, she was promoted to a deputy for the Knox County Sheriff’s Office,” he said. “She stayed in that role until July 1, 1997 where she was promoted to patrol supervisor. On January 10, 1999, she transferred to the detective division and became a detective for the sheriff’s office.”

    Hart said Dennison was a detective until she was elected sheriff in November of 2006. She took office on January 1, 2007.

    “She will serve as sheriff until January 31, 2019,” he said. “That’s a long service as sheriff, a very good time as sheriff and very good for the county.”

    Hart said Dennison has made positive changes at the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and jail, including improving moral and professionalism in both departments.

    “She was supportive of changes including the new public safety building, capital projects at the jail and negotiating union contracts. At times those can be challenging. I’ve enjoyed working with you for the last 10 plus years. We’ve worked well in that time. You’ve been a team player and supportive to the commissioners in the many facets of the job.”

    Hart then presented Dennison with a plaque from the Maine County Commissioner’s Association and a certificate of appreciation for 27 years of service to Knox County.

    Dennison said she has enjoyed working with the people of Knox County.

    “I could not have done it without them and their support,” she said. “It certainly has been a challenge with both good times and bad times, but we got through it and I do believe that the new sheriff coming in will be well off because everything seems to be in good order. I thank you.”