LIVERMORE — The Select Board and the Budget Committee disagreed on funding recommendations for nonmunicipal agencies during a review of the proposed 2019-20 budget Wednesday evening.
The proposed municipal budget is almost $4.09 million, including the county assessment and an estimated Regional School Unit 73 assessment. If all amounts are approved as proposed, the municipal budget would increase $378,565 from last year.
Selectpersons voted to recommend raising and appropriating $6,800 for nonmunicipal agencies, while the Budget Committee recommended $6,278.
A total of $14,339 was requested.
Budget Committee Chairman Warren Forbes said, “What we have funded in the past was less than requested.”
Last year, the town received requests totaling $11,458 and approved $6,697.
Administrative Assistant Amy Byron said Western Maine Transportation Service did not request funding this year because of the new bus service it plans to start later this spring.
Area Youth Sports requested $750 for insurance, up $22 from last year, and $1,250 to help pay for heating its building, the former Livermore Falls High School.
Community Dental requested $250 and Maine Paper Museum asked for $2,500. Both were new requests.
Selectperson Scott Richmond said he would like to support the American Red Cross, often the first agency to help in case of an emergency.
“There have been several fires in the area and they’ve been there,” he said.
Selectperson Chairman Mark Chretien said he would rather support local organizations.
He moved recommending $1,500 for Androscoggin Healthcare + Hospice, $500 for Safe Voices, $750 to AYS for insurance and $1,250 for heating, $1,000 to Community Concepts, $100 for Head Start, $500 for Rural Community Action Ministry, $750 for the American Red Cross, $500 for SeniorsPlus and $200 for Tri-Town Ministerial Associaton’s food pantry.
Selectperson Tom Gould was not initially in favor of providing money to heat the AYS building.
Chretien said AYS is no different than Spruce Mountain Ski Area, which the committees earlier approved giving $5,575.
“I feel money should go more to the local kids,” he said.
Gould asked if the total amount for nonmunicipal agencies is presented to voters, or amounts for each agency.
Selectperson Wayne Timberlake said if a dollar amount is included in the body of the article, only amendments to reduce the amount can be made. If no monetary amount is included in the article, it can be amended to increase or decrease the amount.
The article in last year’s warrant lists the amounts recommended for each agency.
Timberlake thought that information wasn’t part of the body of the article.
“I will only support this if the town can act on the amounts for individual agencies,” Gould said. “I want the people to have a voice in it.”
The Budget Committee approved the same amounts for the agencies as last year, with the exception of WMTS.
The two groups also voted to decrease the tax anticipation note interest and code enforcement officer amounts by $1,000.
The Androscoggin County assessment of $235,870, an increase of $6,052 from last year, was also approved.
The next budget meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 13 at the town office complex.
pharnden@sunmediagroup.net
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