Lincoln County or Sagadahoc County may withdraw from the jail authority at any time prior to the commitment by the jail authority, or either county on behalf of the jail authority, to issue any instrument of indebtedness, including, but not limited to, bonds and notes. The date upon which the jail authority or either county is committed to issue the debt is established by a majority vote of the board of directors at least 90 days in advance of that date. At the time of withdrawal, the withdrawing county remains liable for its proportionate share of jail authority debts and withdrawal expenses incurred prior to the date of withdrawal and shall make provisions satisfactory to the board of directors and the commissioners to pay its share of the debt outstanding at the time of withdrawal.   [PL 2003, c. 228, §1 (NEW).]

If a county withdraws from the jail authority or if the jail authority is dissolved, all of the responsibilities granted to the jail administrator are assumed by the sheriffs of the respective counties.   [PL 2003, c. 228, §1 (NEW).]

After issuance of instruments of indebtedness with a maturity of one year or more, neither Lincoln County nor Sagadahoc County may withdraw from the jail authority while the indebtedness remains outstanding without the approval of 2/3 of the board of directors and a majority vote of the commissioners from each county. A withdrawing county shall make provisions satisfactory to 2/3 of the board of directors and a majority of the commissioners from each county to pay its share of debt outstanding at the time of withdrawal. Those provisions must include the pledge of the full faith and credit of the withdrawing county after consent of each county, if full faith and credit has not already been pledged under section 1954 or 1955. Withdrawal must be permissible in existing debt instruments.   [PL 2003, c. 228, §1 (NEW).]

In considering the request of a county to withdraw, the board of directors and the commissioners shall consider the effect of the proposed withdrawal on the ability of the jail authority to continue operating the multicounty jail in a manner and at a cost to the remaining county that is reasonable.   [PL 2003, c. 228, §1 (NEW).]

If the withdrawal causes the costs of the other county to increase as a condition of withdrawal the withdrawing county may be required by the board of directors and the commissioners either to secure an alternate and equivalent source of prisoners for the reasonable life of the jail facility or to execute an agreement to make payments to the jail authority following withdrawal that maintains the costs of the other county to remain constant when adjusted annually for the effect of all other factors on the costs until an alternate and equivalent source of prisoners is secured or results from the nonwithdrawing county's population.   [PL 2003, c. 228, §1 (NEW).]

Subject to any required approval by the board of directors and the commissioners of each county, withdrawal by a county may be accomplished by a vote of the commissioners.   [PL 2003, c. 228, §1 (NEW).]