FARMINGTON — The Franklin County Budget Advisory Committee will hold a public hearing Tuesday, June 17.
The hearing is at 5 p.m. in the Superior Courtroom at the Franklin County Courthouse on Main Street. The committee plans to decide and vote on a spending plan amount at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18, in the courtroom.
Franklin County commissioners have proposed a $5.65 million budget for 2014-15. The spending package reflects an increase of about 2.5 percent, or $192,468, from the current budget. The budget covers $1.6 million for the jail.
An additional request came in after commissioners agreed on a proposal. That request was for $13,946.50 for 25 percent of a restitution specialist’s wages and benefits. The specialist serves Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties through the District 3 District Attorney’s Office in Auburn. District Attorney Norman Croteau serves all three counties.
The specialist was previously paid for through a grant, according to Franklin County Clerk Julie Magoon. Franklin and Oxford counties’ shares are 25 percent each and Androscoggin County’s share is 50 percent, she said.
If the budget panel makes no changes to the commissioners’ proposal, taxpayers would be asked to raise about $5 million, according to the county’s information. It represents an increase of $98,414 from last year, not factoring in the share of the restitution specialist.
Under state law, once the Budget Advisory Committee takes a vote on an amount, the county commissioners may not further increase, decrease, alter or revise the budget adopted by the advisory committee, except by unanimous vote of the commissioners. If the adopted budget is changed by the county commissioners, the advisory committee may reject that change by a two-thirds vote of its membership. Those actions are final and are not subject to further action by either the county commissioners or the advisory committee.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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