Dear Editor:

I have read with interest the Boothbay Register article “Selectmen question ‘extravagant' health benefits.” I don’t believe, however, that a selectman’s letter to the Lincoln County Budget Advisory Committee, as suggested by Lincoln County Commissioner Meserve and County Administrator O’Connell, is adequate to address this abuse of the public trust.

For far too long Lincoln County government has operated far beyond the control of the 19 towns in Lincoln County. And this latest revelation about our county government is not the first time extravagant spending by county government has been raised.

I suggest, therefore, that it is long past the time for a thorough audit of all county expenditures and a concurrent thorough and thoughtful evaluation of all county programs for their effectiveness and costs/benefits to the county towns. This task should not be assigned to the existing County Budget Advisory Committee. Instead, each of the towns should appoint a representative and alternate from their town to work with, but not under the direction of the County Administrator with support provided by the County Planning Office.

The taxpayers of Boothbay have and continue to contribute considerable funding for the indirect and direct (contractual services) costs from county government. It is the responsibility of our selectmen to insure the taxpayers money is spent appropriately and wisely.

Nicholas Barth
Boothbay