Boothbay selectmen are supporting an effort to change how the county budget is approved. On March 22, selectmen signed a letter supporting LD 972 “An Act to Modify the Lincoln County Budget Committee.” The bill’s sponsor is State Rep. Stephanie Hawke (R-Boothbay Harbor).

The bill will be heard at 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 29 by the legislature’s State and Local Government Committee.

Hawke sponsored the bill based on former legislator and 38-year South Bristol Selectman Chester Rice’s recommendation. Rice has served as on the county budget advisory and been among a growing number of critics about a steadily increasing county budget.

Rice wants Lincoln County to adopt the same measure as 11 other counties in adopting a budget. He wants the county budget advisory committee, not commissioners, to have final say in the process.

“This takes away the commissioners’ ability to write their own budget and approve it by themselves,” he told Boothbay selectmen March 22. Rice believes county government has become too expensive for small towns like South Bristol. He, along with Southport resident Bob Foster and Boothbay resident Dawn Gilbert, encouraged the selectmen to support changing the budget process.

Rice explained he’d become frustrated with commissioners’ refusal to adopt past recommendations by the budget advisory committee. He believes the commissioners aren’t doing enough to reduce employee health insurance or sheriff department and jail costs. So he contacted Hawke about submitting a bill.

“We’re trying to get control of the county budget back. The sheriff’s budget is about three times larger than when Bill Carter left,” he said. “And the new jail was suppose to save us money, but costs have gone from about $1 million to over $6 million. The advisory committee recommends less spending, but the commissioners disregard them every time.”

The current county budget advisory committee has 10 members. Each of the three county districts is entitled to three representatives. Each district’s caucus is represented by municipal officials who elect three representatives to serve on the committee.  The 10th member  is a state legislator. The committee is required to submit budget recommendations to the commissioners who have final say on approval.

The proposed law would give more power to municipal officials over county leaders. The new advisory committee would have one representative from each town in Lincoln County. The committee would submit a budget to commissioners for consideration. A unanimous commissioners’ vote would be required to make any changes. If changes are made, the committee could veto any with a two-thirds vote of members present.

Selectmen Chuck Cunningham and Stephen Ham have both served on the budget advisory committee. Both agreed the proposed change benefits local taxpayers.

“I’ve been to several meetings and I tell you it’s a very frustrating process,” Cunningham said.

Rice, Foster and Gilbert all plan to attend the hearing. They encouraged the selectmen to attend and testify. Gilbert also encouraged attendance even if they didn’t plan on speaking. She recommended supporters bring letters endorsing the bill’s passage and give them to the 13-member committee.

The State and Local Government Committee will hold the hearing in Room 214 of the Burton M. Cross Building at the state capitol complex.