RUMFORD — Finance Committee members began work Wednesday night to develop recommendations for the 2011-12 municipal budget, which will be decided by town meeting voters on June 14.

They will meet again on Thursday night to finish the work.

From the outset on Wednesday night, committee members appeared more willing to listen to department heads highlight budget necessities than selectmen did last month with their recommendations.

Many of the selectmen went through budgets with the mindset to flatline department head requests to the 2010-11 budget, which they did by recommending $6,814,258. That’s $514,459 less than department heads requested and $270,376 less than what Town Manager Carlo Puiia recommended.

Starting with Code Enforcement Officer Rick Kent’s budget, Kent requested $49,734. Selectmen recommended $47,545. After listening to Kent explain his request, committee member Vin Caruso motioned for $45,950, saying he wasn’t in favor of giving non-union employees the 2 percent bonus, which selectmen approved, but didn’t fund.

After Puiia and Kent further explained why Kent was asking for $49,734, Caruso amended his motion to $46,750. It failed by a vote of 4-5.

Richard Greene then motioned for $49,317, which was Puiia’s request, but it, too, failed by a 4-5 vote.

Josanne Dolloff motioned for the selectmen recommendation of $47,545, but that died for the lack of a second until Caruso told her to try it again and he would second it. This time it passed 8-1.

For Parks and Recreation’s parks budget, Manager Michael Mills said he would be happy with $195,000 or $190,000, which includes money agreed upon by contract to do fields’ work for RSU 10. Selectmen cut that out with their recommendation of $174,550, Mills said.

Greene motioned for $190,820 and it was OK’d 8-1. The committee then unanimously OK’d $7,500 for the Parks department’s skating budget and $11,800 for cemeteries, which selectmen also recommended.

For the police department, Chief Stacy Carter sought $25,644 for animal control, which the committee unanimously OK’d.

Then Carter addressed the police department budget. When before selectmen last month, Carter sought $836,670, but selectmen flatlined it to $805,000. Puiia had recommended $834,550.

Carter then said he’d continued to work on his budget and presented the committee with a new request of $827,069, which the committee unanimously OK’d.

Then it was fire Chief Bob Chase’s turn to present his request, which he did for $711,363.

He said 87 percent of that is wages, including a 3 percent raise for union members and a 2 percent bonus approved by selectmen, but then not funded by the board.

Dolloff questioned the high amount of overtime, but Chase said he must maintain a three-man staff at the station and had no one available to fill shifts during vacations, sick time or time off, so he had to fill the position at time and a half.

He said selectmen didn’t allow him to hire a utility person to work straight time during those times to reduce overtime.

Selectmen recommended $678,000, Puiia sought $711,426, and Greene motioned for Puiia’s request, but it failed 4-5.

Caruso then asked Chase if he could live with $700,000. Chase said it would mean manning the station with a two-man crew, each on 24-hour shifts, when the third person was on vacation, out sick or on time off. He added that the two-man crew would be for 60 days of the year with the selectmen’s amount.

Caruso’s motion was then approved 5-4.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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