AUBURN — The cost of patrolling Androscoggin County’s smaller towns will rise about 4 percent in the coming year, with most of the increase due to a new labor contract’s bump in salaries.
“People overuse the label of ‘bare bones budget’ but that’s what it is,” Sheriff Guy Desjardins said Thursday. He requested a $1.33 million law enforcement budget for the coming year.
After presenting the spending package Wednesday to the county’s Budget Committee, Desjardins saw the budget — which pays for his patrol captain, deputies and two detectives — shrink by less than $20,000.
The 11-member committee cut one of the two new cruisers on the budget, some office supplies and some reimbursements for uniforms. The full addition of $81,000 toward salaries was included.
The group also sent forward Desjardins’ $91,000 budget for civil processing, the arm of county government that serves legal notices such as evictions and divorces to individuals.
“Two down, one to go,” the sheriff said.
His third budget — overseeing the county’s dispatch center — is slated to come up before the Budget Committee next Wednesday evening at 6 p.m.
Though it is smaller than the law enforcement budget, dispatching is expected to be contentious. The three-member county commission has proposed a $446,000 budget and added almost $400,000 in investment to the dispatch center, meant to replace aging equipment. Most of the added money would come from a specialty account, created several years ago.
“There will be fireworks,” Commission Chairman Randall Greenwood said Thursday.
Leaders from across the county are expected to attend the session to see if the Budget Committee wants to weigh in on whether the county should spend money on its center or send emergency calls to Lewiston-Auburn 911 or to the town of Lisbon.
Both have asked for the county’s business, extending years of debate over who will answer when someone in Androscoggin County dials 911.
Last year, there seemed to be a resolution that would have linked L-A 911 and the county, but it fizzled.
A compromise plan that seemed to please most urban and rural communities in the county called for countywide control, tiers of service and “fair and equitable” distribution of costs.
Meanwhile, the Public Utilities Commission repeated its call for fewer 911 dispatch centers. Officials said cost, speed and reliability would all improve with consolidation.
A few weeks later, the county and Lewiston-Auburn 911 applied for $50,000 in state grant money to help plan and implement a merger.
But the state money dried up, and the agreement fell apart. Most recently, leaders from Lisbon have presented a plan to take over county dispatching.
Meanwhile, the County Commission has made no formal decision. It could leave the matter in the Budget Commitee’s lap.
Desjardins said he has received many calls from people throughout Androscoggin County with questions about the meeting.
Town managers, selectmen, police chiefs and others have called him looking for information about the meeting.
“It’s going to be a full house,” the sheriff said.
dhartill@sunjournal.com
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