RUMFORD — Finance Committee members continued their public hearing and work on municipal budget recommendations Wednesday night with wage increases drawing criticism, mostly from member Jeremy Vashaw.

He did much of the questioning, followed by Vice Chairman Ted Hotham, Christopher Carver and Chairman Dieter Kreckel. Richard Greene was absent.

They started with Code Enforcement Officer Rick Kent’s budget. Kent requested $50,715, which selectmen approved during budget work last month.

Kent said he gave himself a 3 percent wage hike.

Vashaw said he could only be comfortable with a 2 percent wage increase.

“I know we’re trying to get people up (in wages), but nobody in the real world is getting raises right now,” Vashaw said.

Town Manager Carlo Puiia reminded the committee that they can only approve a bottom line; they cannot set raises.

Vashaw said he knew that, but he was just explaining why he would be recommending bottom lines for less than the requested amounts.

The first motion was to go with the selectmen’s recommendation, but that failed by a 2-6 vote, with Carver and Jeff Roy voting in favor and the rest against.

Vashaw motioned for $50,146 and that was approved 6-2, with Carver and Roy dissenting.

The committee struggled with Librarian Luke Sorensen’s public library budget. As requested by Kreckel, Sorensen explained the highlights, saying “a great deal of my budget went down and others stayed the same.”

He said that this winter, the library had frozen pipes, so he added more money into that account to compensate, should it happen again.

He also explained why he gave his staff and himself raises and provided the board with a sheet explaining the methodology. Sorensen said employees were brought up from average “to more of a competitive wage.”

Additionally, more adults, families and children are using the library than in the past, especially adults looking for jobs on library computers.

“So, in your mind, whatever you’re doing is working?” Hotham asked.

Sorensen said yes.

Vashaw said he would recommend a bottom line that only gave a 2 percent raise and took out $5,000 from the books line-item request of $20,000.

Carver asked Sorensen to justify the wage hikes, which he did in detail, saying he gave most employees a 2 percent cost-of-living increase.

Sorensen requested $240,929 for a budget. Selectmen had pared it down to $227,589, and Vashaw motioned for $220,880. That failed by a 3-5 vote.

Committee member Louanne Cameron motioned for $227,589, but that failed in a 4-4 tie.

Carver tried Sorensen’s requested budget, but that failed, 2-6.

Vashaw tried reducing the figure to $222,589, adding the $5,000 back in for the books line. But that died for the lack of a second.

Hotham then offered a compromise of $225,00, which was OK’d 5-3.

For the General Assistance Office, Director Thelma Giberson said she, too, gave herself a raise, trying to regain the wage she lost a few years ago when sharp cuts were pushed through.

Several members asked Giberson to explain how General Assistance works.

Hotham told Giberson that when the public voted the committee’s option down last year, they weren’t targeting her, but rather the concept of welfare. Giberson said she understood that.

Hotham said the majority that vote against General Assistance budgets do not understand how it works. He said applicants do not come in, fill out paperwork and automatically get a check.

“Lack of knowledge creates this ignorance,” Hotham said.

After more discussion, the committee voted 7-1, approving Giberson’s requested budget of $83,137 that selectmen also OK’d. Vashaw dissented.

The committee also sided with selectmen recommendations on:

* $155,365 for tax assessor office by a 7-1 vote.

* $81,213 for town clerk office by a 6-2 vote.

* $24,830 for elections by a 6-2 vote.

* $81,985 for tax collector office by a 7-1 tally; Vashaw’s initial motion for $80,644 died for lack of a second.

By 8 p.m., the committee had yet to start on the 21 proposed budgets under the Town Manager Department.

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