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Commissioners appoint webmaster, update proposed U.T. budget

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FARMINGTON – The county commissioners unanimously voted to hire a part-time employee at the Probate Court to serve as the webmaster for Franklin County’s website.

Rachel Heseltine

Rachel Heseltine, who typically works two days a week at the Probate Court, was the commissioners’ unanimous choice following an executive session, according to Deputy Treasurer/Deputy Clerk Vickie Braley. Heseltine will work on the website in addition to her duties at the Probate Court, at the same pay rate of $13.21.

Heseltine previously worked for the Farmington Police Department as a secretary.

A committee of county officials interviewed four in-house candidates for the position, which was created after commissioners approved a job description in early November. The county’s website, www.franklincounty.maine.gov, was built by Lorna Nichols, the cook supervisor at the Franklin County Detention Center. It displays, among other things, contact information for county officials, agendas and minutes from commissioner meetings and arrest and dispatch logs.

Nichols has kept the site updated on a volunteer basis since it went online. She requested compensation for her weekly maintenance work in September, after it ended up being more time that originally thought.

After several meetings worth of discussions, commissioners voted to create the position and advertise it in-house. According Braley, Heseltine will report directly to Jim Desjardins, the county’s IT systems administrator. Commissioners opted not to create a specific hourly schedule for Heseltine, instead waiting to see how much time it took to keep everything updated, once she had gained some experience.

Funds to pay Heseltine for the website work will come out of a combination of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office budget and the county’s tax increment financing account for this year. Next year, it would be included in the county budget in the IT department line.

In other business, two adjustments were made to the proposed unorganized territory budget prior to the Dec. 12 meeting at the Stratton Community Center at 6 p.m. County officials have learned that the NorthStar EMS cost to the U.T. will be $40,819, which is less than previously thought. Additionally, commissioners approved a $50,000 reduction in the $150,000 paving account.

At the advice of the auditor, commissioners moved $678,114 out of the U.T.’s unassigned balance and into the assigned balance. Specifically, the funds were allotted to a Road and Bridges Reserve fund.

Commissioners have decided to keep the office open for regular hours on the Friday before Christmas, which falls on a Sunday this year.

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