FARMINGTON — The Franklin County Budget Advisory Committee has developed a preliminary $5.78 million budget for 2015-16 to go to public hearing on June 17.
The hearing is at 6 p.m. at the Franklin County Courthouse. The draft amount could be changed at 5:30 p.m. June 24 when the committee takes its final vote.
The overall proposal is a decrease of $136,782 from the commissioners’ budget proposal of $5.9 million, reflecting an increase of $129,994 from this year’s budget. The package includes $1.2 million to operate the jail.
The budget panel’s proposal is about $22,000 below the county’s property tax cap, county Clerk Julie Magoon said.
Budget committee members spent three hours Wednesday night debating proposed spending and making cuts to various departments and agencies.
Some reductions are conditional and can be argued for reinstatement at the hearing.
The changes didn’t come easy. Many times, the Budget Advisory Committee reached stalemates until one member decided to change his vote to move forward.
In some cases, the budget panel wanted to send a message to program grant receivers and departments that something needs to change.
One budget panel deliberation centered on a proposed 3- to 3.5-percent pay increase for nonunion employees. Members argued that just because some union members will get a 3 percent raise, plus a cost-of-living raise, doesn’t mean nonunion personnel should get the same raise. On the other hand, others argued that nonunion employees should be treated fairly, especially after taking a less costly health insurance plan.
The insurance change will save the county $37,500, Magoon told committee members. Commissioners will also see a reduction in flex benefits.
“They took a step back on insurance — it doesn’t seem like much, but it is,” said Strong Selectman Mike Pond, who was in favor of a nonunion raise. By taking a less expensive health insurance plan, it will have a ripple effect during the next negotiations of union contracts, he said.
Farmington Selectman Josh Bell said he wasn’t in favor of the amount of the raise and said the insurance change should have happened a long time ago. Jay Selectperson Tim DeMillo said it is difficult to give a 3 percent raise when employees in his town only got 1 to 1.5 percent.
In the end, the 3.5 percent increase passed by a 5-1 vote, with Bell opposed. The only exception was for commissioners. The committee reduced commissioners’ pay from a proposed $8,887 to $8,586 each. Wilton Selectperson Scott Taylor had taken last year’s pay, which included an increased amount for chairperson, and averaged it out to establish the lesser amount.
It took three votes to approve a $252,138 budget for the District Attorney’s Office, which is $16,018 less than the commissioners’ proposal of $268,256.
Most of the debate centered on $14,618 for the county’s share of a restitution specialist. The cost of the position is split between Androscoggin County, which pays 50 percent, and Franklin and Oxford counties, which pay 25 percent each. The argument was that the county would have more control if the work was done in-house and the duties added to an those of an existing employee. Others said the position would cost more than the county’s share. The specialist’s position had been funded by a grant up until a few years ago.
Committee members also cut $48,000 from the Sheriff’s Office proposal, bringing it to $1.53 million. Eliminated was $30,000 for one of three new cruisers in the budget, $13,000 from a $33,000 public account safety and $5,000 from a $10,000 part-time deputies line.
The budget panel reduced program grant requests to $216,886 from the commissioners’ amount of $245,886. Two attempts to reduce funding to Greater Franklin County Development Corp. to zero failed. After much discussion the committee settled on a conditional $42,000, down from a requested $60,000.
Other program grants reduced were Western Maine Community Action, from $40,000 to $33,000; and SeniorsPlus, from $34,000 to $30,000.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
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