The Lincoln County Commissioners approved a county budget of $10,428,517 for fiscal year 2014 while meeting for the final time in 2013 Dec. 28.
Lincoln County Commissioner William Blodgett said the new budget figure is an 0.80 percent increase over FY 2013. Blodgett said the new budget does not reflect the amount of surplus from FY2013, which could be applied towards taxes.
The budget reflects an increase of $85,594 in the telecommunications/911 budget. According to Blodgett, the increase is due to the anticipated necessity of two new dispatchers when Lincoln County Communications becomes a public safety answering point for Gardiner.
Blodgett said this increase would be compensated with revenue generated from providing the service. The total telecommunications/911 budget for FY2014 is $878,012.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office budget total is $2,048,120 and the Two Bridges Regional Jail assessment is $2,419,833. The two combined represent nearly 43 percent of the county’s total budget.
Sheriff Todd Brackett and County Administrator John O’Connell expressed concern the county still has not received the $41,000 it expected to receive from the Community Corrections Funds, which helps with jail programs. O’Connell said the payment is usually received in December.
“If we need to plan on a $41,000 shortfall, we need to have a serious discussion,” Brackett said. “We can’t put it off too long.”
Brackett told commissioners his budget is not extravagant. Cuts could be made but not without impact, he said.
The budget estimates the county will receive $1,432,792 in non-tax revenue during FY2014.