While Lincoln County officials say it’s too early to throw out a solid figure, the early numbers point to a flat budget for 2012.
The Lincoln County Commissioners, the Lincoln County Budget Advisory Committee (made up of selectmen from across the county) and county department heads met Sept. 29 at the Lincoln County Regional Communications Center.
The 2012 budget will benefit most notably from a decrease of almost $365,000 in the county’s share of the Two Bridges Regional Jail budget.
The decrease, the result of legislation passed to require Lincoln County and Sagadahoc County to pay equal shares of the jail’s budget, already saved the county over $180,000 in 2011, Sheridan Bond, the chairman of the Lincoln County Commissioners, said.
Decreases elsewhere in the budget include a nearly $25,000 dip in debt service and a $20,000-plus cut to buildings.
The debt service reduction reflects a decrease in interest payments as the county pays down its share of the jail bond, while the buildings decrease reflects “savings in electricity” and other “efficiencies,” Lincoln County Administrator John O’Connell said. O’Connell credited the buildings savings to the work of Maintenance Supervisor Jim Hopler.
The savings in the draft budget are partially offset by a $80,000-plus jump in the cost of medical insurance. The figure is based on an estimate from the county’s insurance provider of an 8 percent increase, O’Connell said.
The request for the telecommunications/9-1-1 department is nearly $45,000 higher this year, although revenues from the four Kennebec County towns the Lincoln County Regional Communications Center serves will offset the increase.
“For all practical purposes, that budget is flat,” O’Connell said.
The communications department is also requesting $100,000 for a reserve account for “potentially significant” technology upgrades the county is beginning to look into, O’Connell said. The department’s hope is to raise $296,000 over the next three years.
Most departments didn’t request wage increases, Bond said.
While the projected savings appear to outweigh increases in the budget, officials didn’t commit to a lower final figure.
“The board is very interested in keeping taxes as low as possible,” O’Connell said.
The hearing attracted very few members of the public, although perennial county budget hawk Rob Davidson, of Bristol, offered the assembly his annual warning.
“The county budget has doubled in 10 years,” Davidson said. “I hope it’s not $22 million 10 years from now.”
The 2011 Lincoln County budget is $10.7 million.
The Lincoln County Budget Advisory Committee will meet in work sessions on Thurs., Oct. 13, and Thurs., Oct. 27, with tentative budget approval to follow the second session.
The fiscal year 2012 committee is: returning Chairman Ed Polewarczyk (Wiscasset), Steve Ham (Boothbay), Chad Hanna (Bristol), Al Lewis (Nobleboro), Steve McCormick (Whitefield), Hank Nevins (Bremen), Josh Pinkham (Damariscotta), George Richardson (Westport Island), Dave Stanley (Somerville) and Rep. Les Fossel (R-Alna) representing the Lincoln County legislative delegation.