FARMINGTON — Two candidates for the new position of communications director will be interviewed next week, Franklin County Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. told commissioners Tuesday.

The county received applications from five candidates. The person hired will oversee the dispatch center.

In other Sheriff’s Department business, commissioners voted Tuesday to hire Jesse Clement of Kingfield as a full-time corrections officer at the Franklin County Detention Center.

The position became vacant when officer Walter Fails transferred to become a transport officer at the jail.

Prior to the vote, jail manager Doug Blauvelt told commissioners that the position had been posted in-house and to the public.

Eight applications were received and four people were interviewed, he said.

Clement is working as a corrections officer in Kennebec County, Nichols said.

He just returned from Afghanistan, he said.

Kennebec County is letting Clement leave without a buyout associated with the training he has received, Nichols said.

He has been with Kennebec for three years.  

Sheriff Randall Liberty had the option to charge Franklin County $2,735 because Clement is still within the five-year time period of being hired and trained.  

Blauvelt also told commissioners that the part-time list for corrections officers is getting low. He let some people on the list go, he said.

Commissioners voted to hire Frederick Buchanan Jr. of Dixfield as a part-time utility corrections officer.

He has a history in law enforcement, he said.

dperry@sunjournal.com