AUBURN — The Androscoggin County Budget Committee completed its work Wednesday, adopting a 2016 spending plan that is 1.54 percent higher than a year ago.

The budget goes back to the county commissioners next month for final consideration.

The committee cut $89,013 from the budget initially proposed by the commissioners. The commissioners’ budget would have raised taxes by an average of 2.6 percent.

Nearly 30 people, including the county commissioners, attended Wednesday’s public hearing before the committee accepted the budget.

The commissioners, whose own meeting began 45 minutes earlier, recessed their proceedings to attend the hearing. With the exception of the joint meeting held at the start of the budget process in September, it was the first time the commissioners attended a Budget Committee meeting this year.

“It was good to see the commissioners here tonight,” said Emily Darby, committee chairwoman. “It’s a positive step.”

The two sides have been locked in a dispute since last year’s budget season, when the committee attempted to lower the commissioners’ salaries below what commissioners had proposed. The committee also voted to eliminate their health insurance. 

Claiming the changes made to the county charter gave them power to set the budget, commissioners overruled the committee and restored their salaries and health benefits.

The issue has ended up in court after the Androscoggin County municipalities, whose members make up the Budget Committee, filed suit against the commissioners in July.

Despite the larger than usual crowd at Wednesday’s meeting, only two people spoke during the public hearing — Lewiston City Manager Edward Barrett and Poland Selectman Stanley Tetenman. In addition to praising the work done by the committee, both speakers criticized the commissioners and urged them to accept the committee’s final numbers.

“Regardless of the action taken by the commissioners over the last 18 months, I call upon them to recognize that the intent of the Charter Commission was for the Budget Committee to have final authority over the salaries and benefits of elected county officials and the ability to modify the county budget by an 11-vote majority. They can do this by accepting (the Budget Committee’s) work in its entirety,” Barrett said.

Darby, who has participated in the county budget process for several years, said her committee faced unique challenges at the start of the process. She acknowledged that the lawsuit “was casting a shadow” over the process, though she felt her committee overcame the distractions to complete its job.

With little input from the commissioners, Darby praised county Treasurer Robert Poulin, new county Administrator Larry Post and the department heads for their assistance in finalizing the budget.

“Regardless of what happens with the charter, the lawsuit or the budget at the end of the day, I hope that people can take a look at what we’ve done as a representative body from diverse municipalities and see the value of having an independent body review the budget,” Darby said. “The process keeps all the information in the open, keeps everyone honest and provides a different perspective when it comes to dealing with public money. I think it was remarkable how committed all the Budget Committee members were in their attendance, their objectivity and their diligence in getting the overall tax amount down to only a 1.54 percent increase over last year.”

Commissioners are expected to act on the budget at their next meeting at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the county courthouse in Auburn.

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