LISBON – Selectmen voted Tuesday night to notify Carl Huston Sr. and Alfred and Dorothy Smith that they are recipients of Community Service Awards.

The Smiths and Huston, a local contractor, are longtime residents, have served on various committees and boards and have served the town for years to make it better.

In a report on the county budget, Chairman Michael Bowie, who also chairs the county budget committee, said the initial budget presented by the county commissioners was up by 15.8 percent, or $980,000, over last year.

Although it was later pared down to a 9.7 percent increase, Bowie said the budget Committee sent it back with instructions to cut it to no increase.

During the course of the budget meeting, Bowie reported that Androscoggin County Chief Deputy Guy Desjardins said the Sheriff’s Department could provide Lewiston, Auburn and Lisbon with better services, cheaper.

“I think we should basically call his bluff and ask him for a proposal,” Bowie said. The board agreed.

“I will be telling them that we’ll be asking them for a proposal,” Bowie said. The next county budget committee meeting is Thursday night.

In other business, selectmen heard a report from Mark Stevens on the Recreation Department’s new “before school recreation program,” which is designed for children in kindergarten to grade six and operates from 7 to 8:30 a.m. The program was established in response to the change in the start of the school day.

Stevens said some parents had concerns about the possibility of leaving children unattended at home or having to find expensive day care arrangements because of the new school start times. The program had 13 participants in September and 15 in October.

The children spend most of the time playing games, reading, or walking outside with teachers, he said.

In September, revenues were $660 and expenses were $658.44; in October revenues were $653 and expenses were $523.90.

“In summary, parents can feel comfortable knowing that their children are in a safe and positive environment. A program’s success should not be based on numbers of participants, but on the overall enjoyment and the benefits that each gains.”

Brian Michaud gave an update on the transformation of the former Marion T. Morse school into the MTM Community Center. Michaud, who is chairman of the MTM board of directors, said the group is working on a fee structure for groups wanting to use the facility. It has already entered leases with some groups. Michaud said he would be leaving the committee as of Nov. 30, and selectmen voted to seek a replacement.

A $62,442 Homeland Security Grant for the Fire Department was accepted. On the recommendation of Fire Chief P. Sean Galipeau, the board voted to take half of the required 10 percent local match from the town’s grant account and the other half from the Fire Department account, for a total of $6,244.

Selectman Paul Chizmar said he was concerned about grants that cost the town money when matching funds are required. It was decided that department heads should notify selectmen when they apply for grants, which is usually the case.

Selectmen approved sending a letter to the Maine Department of Transportation urging it to support more funding for the reconstruction of Route 9.