WEST PARIS – Selectmen noted last week that town department heads and social service representatives must give their budget requests to the Town Office by Wednesday, Dec. 15.

Board Chairman Wade Rainey said that if the requests aren’t in by that date, they won’t be considered by the Budget Committee and selectmen for the March town meeting.

“We must have all budget requests in by Dec. 15,” said Rainey during board’s brief meeting Wednesday. “Or they can’t be considered for the 2005 warrant when the Budget Committee and our board put together a budget for next year.”

Rainey also noted that no new requests from organizations that haven’t submitted requests in the past will be considered.

“We can’t honor new requests due to a vote of the people a few years ago, and we must honor the wishes of the townspeople,” he said.

As soon as the budget requests are in, the Budget Committee will begin deliberations. It expects to a budget proposal ready for the board by mid-January. Then, a public budget hearing can be scheduled before the end of that month.

Selectmen and Budget Committee hope to have a proposed 2005 budget that’s close to the the current one, selectmen said. But they must have all the requests in hand before they can look for areas where reasonable cuts and adjustments could be made.