FARMINGTON— The Franklin County budget committee trimmed $92,357 from the county operations proposal Wednesday night, dropping it to $8 million.

Along with jail spending of $3.5 million, which was untouched, the package comes to nearly $11.5 million.

After factoring in revenue, it leaves nearly $10.2 million that represents a tax assessment of nearly $1.39 per $1,000 of assessed property valuation.

The package will go to a public hearing at 4:30 p.m. May 21 at the county Emergency Operation Center at 120 County Way. Following the hearing, the Budget Advisory Committee can either approve the budget or make changes before sending it to commissioners.

Commissioners would need three of its five members vote to make a change. If that happens, the proposal would go back to the budget committee. It would take eight of the 11 members to override any commissioners’ adjustment. Whatever is approved there will be final.

The committee debated whether employees should get a 3% cost-of-living raise and a step increase for nonunion employees in the same year. Having both in the same year is an attempt to rebalance pay to keep employees from looking elsewhere for a similar position that pays more. Members realized whatever they did, commissioners have the sole authority to set employee wages.

Instead, the committee voted to eliminate a part-time staff position shared by the Commissioners Office and the Treasurer’s Office, cut about $30,000 for the commissioners flex benefits for health and other insurances, and eliminated a $1,200 stipend increase for the chairman of the Board of Commissioners. They left the $12,000 each commissioner receives annually. Though one committee member said commissioners only meet twice a month, each commissioner also has committee assignments and other duties related to the office.

The budget panel also cut $10,000 from a proposed $40,000 for an accounting firm used when needed and paid hourly.

The committee also cut $700 for Mt. Blue Community Access TV to record Sandy River Watershed Committee meetings, which were set up in response to flooding. Members also eliminated excess money in the Emergency Management Agency when the county was searching for a deputy EMA director, which they eventually hired. They also cut $15,000 from health insurance for the deputy director because the county did not know at the time what the employee would take for a health insurance plan.

In addition, they trimmed $7,500 from the Franklin County Soil and Water  Conservation District, bringing it to $30,000. Budget committee member Rupert Pratt of Strong said every time he calls or goes there, there is no one in the office. Others agreed.