FARMINGTON – The Franklin County Budget Committee unanimously approved the 2005 county budget of $4,185,618 at its meeting.

Though the total budget received unanimous approval, several line items were opposed by some committee members.

The sheriff’s department budget was restored to the original request of $901,384 after committee members heard Chief Deputy Ray Meldrum, Sheriff Dennis Pike and several deputies speak.

Meldrum explained that much of the overtime was mandated or contractual and could not be avoided. Full-time deputies, by contract, must be offered any regular shifts that will be missed before part-time deputies can take them. His other option, he said, was to leave the shift open but he didn’t feel that best served the public. To dramatize his point, Meldrum showed photographs of a deputy who was recently assaulted while on duty – another deputy and law enforcement officers had come to his aid.

Committee member Keith Swett suggested that adding additional full-time deputies would alleviate overtime hours. Commissioner Fred Hardy countered, saying the cost of full-time officers would also include benefits. They would also be provided with a cruiser, bullet-proof vest, uniform, firearm and liability insurance, added Cpl. Nathan Bean.

Lewiston:Thorncrag gets parking approval

LEWISTON – Supporters of the Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary might not have a visitor center yet, but they should have a parking lot by next fall.

Organizers have the go-ahead to begin work building a 45-space parking lot off Montello Street near the entrance to the bird sanctuary. They received approval for the lot and a 3,900-square-foot building from the Lewiston Planning Board.

Work on the parking lot should begin next spring. Work on the visitors center won’t begin until members of the Stanton Bird Club have raised enough money to pay for it.

“We don’t even have a budget for the building yet,” said Michael Poulin, a member of the club managing the construction budget. So far, the group has raised roughly $241,000 out of $427,000.

“When we get further along with the construction there, and we have a level of confidence in our fund-raising, we’ll come back with plans for the building,” Poulin said.

The visitors center is something Stanton Bird Club members have been trying to build for years. A 2001 plan for a parking lot and gift shop met stiff resistance from neighbors and supporters, and the club canceled its plans. Members spent the last three years working with neighbors to come up with something everyone will like.

“We did our homework this time,” said club member Tom Robustelli. The group met several times with club members and neighbors .

The parking lot would be built first. It includes 23 paved or gravel parking spaces and another 22 grassy parking spaces.

Livermore Falls:Burglars strike neighborhood

LIVERMORE FALLS – Police are investigating a number of burglaries in the same neighborhood.

The incidents involved two vehicle burglaries, an attempted burglary at a house and burglary of a house in which jewelry was stolen. Two vehicles were reported entered, with items taken from both, Police Chief Ernest Steward Jr. said.

An owner of a vehicle at 16 High St. reported the theft of a radio and compact disc player and some CDs, and an owner of vehicle at 12 Spring St. reported two cell phone chargers and CDs stolen, Steward said.

On an earlier day, a resident on Pine Avenue reported that a male wearing a gray suit coat, jeans and a baseball cap tried to get into her house, he said. When the resident opened the front door, the individual asked her if she wanted him to shovel snow for her, Steward said. There was no snow at the time, Steward said, and the male did not have a shovel.

The back door’s doorknob was also damaged, Steward said. On the same day a resident of 2 Hillcrest Road reported that someone had broken into her house through the basement while she was at work. Jewelry was stolen from that residence, Steward said.