FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners will hold a public hearing Monday, Dec. 12, on a proposed $1.16 million unorganized territory budget for 2017-18.
The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Eustis Community Building.
Commissioners voted Tuesday to move $678,114 from the unorganized territory’s unassigned funds, formerly known as undesignated, into a capital reserve account for roads and bridges. The money has accumulated over the years. It leaves $128,328 in unassigned funds as of June 30, County Clerk Julie Magoon said.
Auditor Ron Smith recommended to commissioners earlier in the meeting that they set up reserve accounts with the money. He told commissioners that the county and the unorganized territory in Franklin County are financially solid.
Magoon said with the roads and bridges reserve set up, she could reduce the proposed paving budget from $200,000 to $100,000.
She also told commissioners that the amount for NorthStar EMS decreased this year from $59,402 to $40,819 for next year.
New in the proposed spending package is a request from Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. for $100,000 in start-up funds for a sheriff’s deputy and cruiser dedicated to patrolling the unorganized territory. The figure will be reduced to about $69,000 in future budgets, because the purchase of a cruiser will not be needed until it is ready to be traded in.
The deputy would provide additional protection and law enforcement presence to the people in northern Franklin County, Nichols said in November.
With the shift in appropriations, the proposed budget represents a $1,803 decrease from the current budget.
After anticipated revenues are factored in, the proposed tax assessment would be $1,003,752, according to Magoon’s information.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
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