FARMINGTON – A public hearing on the nearly $1 million fiscal 2010 unorganized territory budget has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the Franklin County commissioners’ courthouse office.

Initially, County Clerk Julie Magoon said it was thought commissioners wouldn’t deal with the unorganized territory budget until 2009, but learned Friday that it needs to go before the Legislature earlier in the year.

This year’s Franklin County U.T. budget is $930,288 and covers operations through June 30, 2009.

The new budget proposal totals $966,137 and includes $121,500 in reserves. It will cover the period of July 1 through June 30, 2010.

Magoon said she needs to check with Rangeley Town Manager Perry Ellsworth to find out why fire protection for the northwest unorganized territory has nearly doubled. Rangeley provides fire protection services for structure fires to townships and plantations in Franklin and Oxford counties.

This year $16,957 was budgeted for those services while $33,498 is proposed for the next fiscal year.

Commissioners rejected Ellsworth’s earlier attempt to get money for a firetruck bought by the town as part of its subsidy for providing fire protection services.

Magoon said she will check to see if there is any money budgeted for the truck in the new request, and if so, ask that it be removed.

Among accounts proposed for increases are: waste disposal, up from $104,650 to $106,386; fire protection services, up from $76,025 to $98,032; snow removal, up from $291,452 to $364,858; and summer roads, up from $172,000 to $214,800.

The NorthStar Emergency Medical Services ambulance subsidy shows a decrease from $57,544 to $52,409.

Commissioners also set holiday times for the courthouse. It will be closed Thursday, Dec. 25, and Friday, Dec. 26 and re-open Monday, Dec. 29.