FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners Tuesday accepted a proposed 2025-26 budget of $11 million for both county government and the Detention Center.

The proposal will go to the Budget Advisory Committee for review.

The budget reflects a combined increase of $781,668 for county government and the jail given changes commissioners made Tuesday.

The proposal for the county government is $8.1 million, which is $651,328 more than the current budget. The jail budget of nearly $3 million reflects an increase of $130,340. The major increase in the latter budget is for a second transport officer. Currently there is one officer when there used to be two, Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said.

With more courts wanting to see those in custody face to face rather than on Zoom from the jail, more transports will occur, Nichols said. A corrections officer was injured in 2016 after a person in custody was able to slip off a handcuff and open the sliding door of the transport van with the cuff as it was going from Wilton to the Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington.

The corrections officer was injured when he tried to prevent the inmate from escaping and the inmate assaulted him. Once the inmate escaped, he broke into a residence, stole a vehicle’s keys and lead police on a chase into Chesterville, where the inmate crashed into a tree.

Nichols said the second transport officer will be certified to conduct arrests. Currently a corrections officer and another officer or Lt. John Donald, acting jail administrator, have been providing transport services. There is overtime costs associated with not having a second transport officer, Nichols said.

Donald said he averages one week a month on the road.

The majority of both budgets is personnel wages, salaries and benefits, Amy Bernard, county administrator, said.

Commissioners approved adding a 3% cost of living increase for nonunion employees. The county is still in negotiations with two unions, Bernard said.

Vice Chairman Thomas Skolfield of Weld said the chairman of the commissioners, Bob Carlton of Freeman Township, is spending more time on county matters.

Skolfield said the position of a commissioner is more time consuming than he thought it would be when he ran. Commissioners approved adding to the budget 10% to the chairman’s stipend, which equals $1,200.

Commissioners agreed to reduce the sheriff’s proposed budget by $75,000 by taking one of three cruisers requested out of the budget; it will be paid for through the sheriff’s reserve account instead.

Commissioner Thomas Saviello of Wilton proposed giving four nonunion members in the sheriff’s office staff a 10% raise for the risks they take on a daily basis. The measure failed 3-2, but would have been an additional $47,536 had it passed.

Bernard said it is a violation of county policy.

“I’m not saying these people don’t deserve an increase,” she said. She is trying to make sure all personnel are treated fairly, she said.

Commissioners plan to revisit the pay scale at a different time.

The board also approved $336,937 in donations for nonprofit and social service programs in the county.