AUBURN – Eleventh-hour appeals to the Budget Committee to reinstate funding for three nonprofit agencies raised questions of public safety versus funding for the agencies.

The Androscoggin County Budget Committee will meet with the three agencies in the Superior Court in the courthouse on Wednesday, Dec. 15. Upwards of 100 people are expected to come in support of the agencies.

The County Commission cut funding for the three agencies to zero last month in an attempt to lower the 2005 budget.

The agencies and their proposed budgets are:

• The University of Maine Androscoggin-Sagadahoc Counties Cooperative Extension Service, $48,000;

• Time and Tide Resource Conservation and Development Area, $2,500;

• Androscoggin Valley Soil & Water Conservation District, $14,000.

The Extension Service maintains that it would have to close its Lisbon office if its funding is eliminated.

“If they know they’ll have to close in April, they’ve got four months to beat the pavement looking for funding,” said County Budget Committee member Michael Bowie, a Lisbon selectman.

“Do we keep the Extension Service going for $48,000 or do we keep a patrol car and a half?” asked committee member Dennis Roderick of Lewiston.

“The bottom line is we’ve got to put to them: What do we cut to fund you?” asked Herbert Reed of Lisbon.

The funding cuts to the agencies came after the Budget Committee rejected a draft spending plan of $9.33 million and a 15.8 percent tax hike.

With the agencies’ funding eliminated and $11,210 in cuts to the budgets of the district attorney and the registrar of deeds, the tax increase has been reduced to 0.66 percent.

Bowie would like to see no increase. Chairman Paul Labrecque of Lewiston said he doubts the committee would achieve that.

The committee also has cut $4,000 for the Sheriff’s Department to participate in the Central Maine Major Crimes Taskforce. Committee member Renee Bernier, chairwoman of the Lewiston City Council, said she would seek funding through the city Budget Committee.

The committee also has tabled action on funding for the Sheriff’s Department’s Civil Process service pending more information on possible additional services that could increase revenues. Bowie said he opposes funding the program for its second year if revenues fail to match expenditures.

In addition to meeting with the nonprofits at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15, the Budget Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6.