FARMINGTON — Review of the county’s 2015-16 initial budget draft totaling $5.8 million began this week.
County commissioners and the Budget Advisory Committee, comprised of nine selectmen representatives from Franklin County towns, heard from both the county’s department heads and various representatives of a dozen outside agencies and organizations making a pitch to continue their funding as requested.
Included in the proposed total is $1.62 million for the detention center, which was recently licensed and reopened as a full-service facility. At the start of Wednesday’s meeting, the proposed budget draft was up $194,676 over the current budget total.
The program grants’ proposed total is $256,637, up by $29,000 over the current funding. The total proposed is the same total amount requested during the last budget cycle before cuts were made and approved by the majority votes.
Requesting agencies and organizations are the Children’s Task Force, $10,000; Adult Basic Education, $22,557; Tri-County Mental Health, $20,000; Western Maine Transportation, $10,500; Western Maine Community Action, $40,000; Threshold to Maine, $750; Greater Franklin Development Corporation, $60,000; SeniorsPlus, $34,000; SAPRES $10,000; Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice, $20,130; Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District, $25,000; Franklin County Firemen’s Association, $3,700.
Three of those agencies saw a cut in funding during the last budget cycle: Tri-County Mental Health received half of its request to total $10,000, Greater Franklin Development Corporation, $50,000 and Threshold to Maine received no funding. Some selectmen noted last year Tri-County’s lack of a presentation to the committee as one reason for the cut. Greater Franklin Development Corporation also saw a cut in funding with committee members noting the organization’s successes but that they are trying to “ween” the organization off county funding and encourage private funding. Threshold’s uncertain reorganization at the time was the reason cited for no funding.
Last year, the Franklin County Firemen’s Association had asked for $3,700 but received instead $4,450 on a split vote with those in favor wanting to do more to support the county’s firefighters.
In action on Wednesday, commissioners approved a proposal to add $73,200 to the communications budget. Those funds would go towards improving the dispatch center’s ability to reach the geographically challenging areas of the county. The upgrades are part of a multi-year plan to provide all of the county’s towns with reliable emergency communication. Read details of the plan in a related story here.
With the addition, the communications budget now stands at $915,480. In other budgetary action, commissioners cut $750 from their own budget, that was earmarked for the purchase new desk chairs for the three-member board. The commissioner’s new budget totals $153,367.
Commissioners will continue their budget review, including a look at the proposed 3.5 percent pay increase for nonunion employees since union workers have already received a similar increase during negotiations held earlier. Once commissioners complete their first round of budget review, the committee will have its chance to make recommendations.
