Maine jail leader’s severance deal includes three months pay

April 28--WISCASSET, Maine -- Former Two Bridges Regional Jail administrator Mark Westrum received three months pay -- approximately $20,000 -- and health insurance through June under the terms of a severance agreement with the Lincoln and Sagadahoc Multi-County Jail Authority released Thursday afternoon.

Westrum, 56, who resigned April 19, six months after he was arrested in Bath for operating under the influence, earned an annual salary of $78,681 plus benefits, Acting Administrator Capt. James Bailey said.

The agreement, signed by Westrum and jail authority chairwoman Mary Trescot on April 19, states that Westrum will be paid three months of his salary, minus regular deductions, in a lump sum within 14 days of the effective date of the agreement. The amount of that lump sum -- which could grow as a result of a payout of accrued paid time off -- was not made public.

The authority also will pay its share of Westrum's individual health insurance premium through June 30, 2017, as well as his accrued paid time off.

The authority and Westrum also promise not to make any "defamatory statement" regarding the other party, and the authority will provide Westrum with a reference letter confirming his dates of employment and the scope of his responsibilities at the jail.

Westrum also promised not to sue the authority or the jail and to release any claim he has ever had or could have against the jail or employees.

Both parties agreed to keep other terms of the agreement confidential, except for instances that conflicts with the Maine Freedom of Access law.

The Bangor Daily News filed a Freedom of Access Act request the day after Westrum resigned. Other than the severance agreement, no other information had been provided as of Thursday afternoon.

Westrum, who prior to serving as the Two Bridges administrator was sheriff of Sagadahoc County from 1993 to 2008, resigned six months after he was arrested in Bath and charged with aggravated operating under the influence.

Westrum pleaded not guilty to OUI in November, but then pleaded guilty and, on Jan. 3, entered into a deferred disposition agreement in which the aggravated OUI charge will be dismissed, and he will plead to a lesser charge of OUI, if he abides by certain conditions for a year. In that case, he will receive the mandatory minimum fine of $500 and a 150-day license suspension.

The jail authority in January returned Westrum to his position with a conditional employment agreement, The Lincoln County News reported. Among the conditions was a two-month suspension with pay.

In mid-March, Westrum was again placed on administrative leave without pay the day he was due to return from that suspension. Lincoln County Administrator Carrie Kipfer, a member of the jail authority, declined at the time to give a reason for the action. He had been off the job since.

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