County budget work underway

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

DOVER-FOXCROFT — With the members of the county budget advisory committee finalized and first drafts of the spending plan for the county and unorganized territories prepared, county officials are well into their work on next year’s finances.

During a Sept. 6 meeting of the county commissioners, the nine-member budget advisory committee roster was OKed with the group divided among residents of the three commissioners’ districts. Interim County Manager Tom Lizotte said all but one panelist returns from last year, with Atkinson First Selectman Mark Kinney filling a vacancy created by a member who stepped down due to health reasons.

“This is an excellent group to work with,” Lizotte said. “Last year’s budget went very well and they are all conscientious and knowledgeable.”

Lizotte said about four sessions — with the first likely being held in early October — would be needed to prepare the two budgets for a public hearing, which is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m.

“We have an initial draft of the county and unorganized territory budgets, the data is all complete,” Lizotte said. He said during the next week he would be meeting with department heads to finalize drafts for the commissioners to review — potentially later in the month with a budget work session.

“The budget is where it should be at this time of year, so we will have that for you at the end of the month,” Lizotte told the commissioners.

“I do think the budget will be up a bit from the current year,” he said. Lizotte said county officials have up to $125,000 available in surplus, “so we have more flexibility to use any surplus to reduce taxes.”

In other business, the commissioners met with Sheriff John Goggin and Chief Deputy Bob Young who told them about possibilities to fill a pair of vacant patrol positions with the sheriff’s office.

“We have two candidates who we think are going to make it through the process,” Young said, saying the individuals have both gone through the physical fitness and polygraph tests with psychological examinations still to come. “Then I suggest we will be bringing those names to you,” Young said.

“Neither one of these men have any law enforcement experience,” Young said, as – if the hires are approved by the commissioners – they would both need to attend the 18-week program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro in early 2017. Young said the candidates – who he said both have local roots and are younger in age – could start training with the sheriff’s office, such as with policy work, at the start of November.

“It’s become abundantly clear to grow our own candidates is probably the way to go and possibly the only way to go,” Lizotte said, as the names of the two patrol prospects will be brought to the commissioners an upcoming meeting.