PARIS — Commissioners approved a $1.03 million budget Tuesday for the county’s unorganized territories, a raise from the proposed $926,431 budget they received Tuesday morning.

The extra money will go toward much needed repairs to Hunts Corner Road in Albany Township, which is becoming a popular route to Bethel thanks to GPS guidance systems. An estimate from contractor Bruce A. Manzer Inc. of Anson puts the total repair cost $1.094 million, and work done over three to five years.

Commissioners plan to spend more than $300,000 this year for road repairs, up from the recommended $222,000 on the budget, in order to speed up the work.

On the Hunts Corner Road this year, a centerline survey, reclamation of existing pavement, installation of 3 inches of variable gravel in some areas, and grading will be done.

Commissioners looked into taking out a loan to help pay for the project, but County Administrator Scott Cole said a loan wasn’t possible for that project.

The project has been part of an aggressive effort to fix neglected roads in the unorganized territories. The county has repaired roadways, removed vegetation and blasted ledge in an effort to get roads in better condition.

With about $165,000 in revenues to offset taxes, residents of the Oxford County unorganized territories will be responsible for $866,000 of the budget. Cole said additional work on Hunts Corner Road will raise the basic tax rate for unorganized territory residents from $2.69 to about $3 per $1,000 in property value.

Unorganized territories residents will also have to pay for education and state services such as the Land Use Regulation Commission. The unorganized territories budget OK’d by commissioners will go to the state Legislature for approval.

The county administration works as the municipal government for unorganized territories. Five percent of the unorganized territories budget goes to the county’s general fund to pay for administrative costs.

At 6 p.m. Feb. 6, commissioners will meet to discuss the overall county budget and decide on a county tax rate for Oxford County residents.

treaves@sunjournal.com