FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners set a public hearing for Tuesday, Dec. 21, on the proposed $969,823 unorganized territory budget for 2011-12.

The spending plan represents an $11,771 decrease from the current budget.

The hearing will be held at 9 a.m. in the commissioner’s office at the courthouse.

A second hearing will follow at 9:15 a.m. on a tax abatement appeal on a property in Rangeley.

In other business on Tuesday, commissioners approved Sheriff Dennis Pike’s recommendations for part-time dispatchers. They are Alton McCleery, Levi Gould and William Hoyt. Hoyt previously worked as a county dispatcher for 17 years until he pursued other options about a year ago, Pike told commissioners. He said that Hoyt missed the job and wants to get back into it.

Commissioners also granted permission to Ronald Stinchfield of Avon to mine gravel within 50 feet of Buzzell Road, a county way in Madrid Township. The board placed a condition on the approval that the mining go no more than 30 feet deep to prevent undermining the road.

Melvyn Webber of Madrid brought the request to commissioners on Stinchfield’s behalf.

The board also approved attorney Pam Prodan’s request to connect a computer in the Law Library, located at the courthouse, to access the Registry of Deed’s wireless Internet service connection. It will allow lawyers to access Lexus, a legal research site, but prohibit access to county documents.

Prodan said she already installed a wireless card in the computer.

County Clerk Julie Magoon told commissioners that a letter was received from Smith Reuter Lull Architects informing them that a firm based in Lewiston and Bethel held a facility meeting with the Building Committee. That meeting and one in January 2011 will be done at no charge to the county, Magoon said.

The firm and consultant John Cleveland are putting together options to relieve space, security and environmental issues at the courthouse and sheriff’s office.

Voters county-wide rejected a $4.5 million bond to expand the amount of space.

Magoon said they the committee will advertise to request information to see if there are any properties available the could house the Registry of Deeds and Registry of Probate. That way the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office could move out of the basement of the courthouse to the main floor. Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson was given permission previously to find leased space to accommodate the DA’s Office.

Architects are also putting together a proposal just to add an addition on the sheriff’s office to increase space there, Magoon said.

dperry@sunjournal.com