AUBURN — The chairman of the Androscoggin County Budget Committee had urged the county commissioners to adopt its budget recommendations “in a gesture of goodwill.”

In the end, the Androscoggin County Commission did just that Wednesday night, but not before much discussion and one member attempting to eliminate funding for one organization.

With Isaiah Lary of Wales objecting, commissioners voted 6-1 to adopt the $13.6 million county budget for 2018.

The budget will raise the county portion of the property taxes by 5.56 percent, nearly a percentage point lower than last year’s increase.

Having already failed during the preliminary budget proceedings, Lary once again attempted to cut the entire $14,000 appropriation for the Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District.

Lary felt the organization duplicated the services of the Androscoggin-Sagadahoc Counties Extension Association, which received $49,557 from the county. He also said he did not believe the budget committee would object if commissioners cut the budget below their recommendations.

The committee had voted 11-1 to approve the $14,000 appropriation.

Lary found no support for his plea to eliminate funding for the agency as his amendment was defeated 1-6.

Commissioners were still not ready to adopt the budget.

Noel Madore of Lewiston questioned the budget committee’s $3,500 cut to the building account, because of the age of the courthouse. The cuts did not bother Facilities Director David Cote, who said he was comfortable with the decision.

Zakk Maher of Poland said he was worried about the fate of a potential supplemental budget from the Legislature to help cover a gap in the jail budget.

The Legislature has helped counties in the past with supplemental budgets. But in a letter Monday, Gov. Paul LePage told all county commissioners in the state that he will not propose a supplemental budget in the upcoming legislative session.

County Administrator Larry Post acknowledged he was aware of the governor’s position, but still felt with some degree of confidence that legislators would come to the aid of the several counties that require the additional state funds.

After adopting the budget, commissioners approved an in-house custodial position. Currently, the county uses a cleaning service that provides 15 hours per week for $40,000.

Cote and Post stressed that an in-house solution plus the addition of a facility technician would save the county money — depending on benefits paid — and provide up to 40 hours per week for both custodial and facilities work.

Lary strongly opposed the proposal, worried that the benefit package would quickly send the budget higher, but the rest of the board didn’t feel that way and liked the idea of getting 40 hours of work instead of 15 for roughly the same amount of funding.

Before moving into executive session, commissioners unanimously approved changing the hours that the courthouse is open to 8:3o a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with 30 minutes for lunch. The county building is presently open until 5 p.m.

Post said no other county in the state is open until 5 p.m., nor are municipal offices in Androscoggin County, with the exception of some towns opening their offices late one night per week.

ssherlock@sunjournal.com

Androscoggin County Building in Auburn.