How big a demotion for ex-prison warden? 42%

Last week, we told you how bad the oversight of the Maine State Prison is, and we added a late-breaking tidbit: Warden Jeffrey Merrill was given a new job, effective immediately. While David Hench over at the Press Herald figured out that Merrill was being ousted, Abigail Curtis at the Bangor Daily News had no idea what was going on.

But because the prison folk fancy themselves not especially responsible to the public, it took them another couple days to answer two key questions we had: What was Merrill's salary as warden, and what will his new salary be?

Answer below: a 42-percent pay cut. Ousted, or given a great new opportunity? You be the judge.

From: Lord, Denise V Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 10:20 AM

Merrill’s current salary as warden is $102, 897

The position that we are using for the energy director has an upper salary range of $58,939