FARMINGTON — A Franklin County budget panel was asked Monday night how people will know what the panel, as a group, is thinking about each account and grant program request in a proposed $5.5 million, 2013-14 spending package.

John Calloway, chairman of the Franklin County Budget Advisory Committee, read the budget procedure prior to starting a hearing on the plan.

The committee currently is proposing the same budget amount as commissioners, which is $203,584 more than the current budget. It includes $1.6 million for the jail.

Come 5 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at the courthouse, the recommendations may change but may not go back for a second hearing.

Last year, the committee made several reductions a few days after the public hearing.

Farmington Selectman Ryan Morgan, a budget committee member, told Ray Therrien, director of adult basic education, during Monday’s hearing that he would be recommending zero for the program. He considers the program a double-dipper, he said.

The program asks for $81,476 from the town of Farmington and is asking the county for $23,233, Morgan said.

He told Therrien he does a great job but he has to look out for the taxpayers.

“The last thing I’ll do is stand up here and agree with double-dipping,“ Therrien said.

A lot of people seeking out the program’s services want to get new skills or update skills to get a job or get a better job, he said. He explained the programs and services offered that he oversees.

“It’s not about jobs. It is about skills people need to get jobs,” he said.

The program gets people out of poverty, Calloway said.

Now is the time for people to ask questions and make their cases, Calloway said to more than 40 people at the hearing. On Thursday, the only way someone from the public will be allowed to talk is if a committee member calls on them for more information.

“The problem with that is we may not know what you as a group are thinking,” Sue Black, register of deeds said. “I’m afraid some stuff is on the chopping block.”

Farmington Selectman Drew Hufnagel, also a budget committee member, said he has been getting concerns from the public that the intentions or feeling of the budget committee are not being conveyed to them during the public hearing.

When selectmen hold a public hearing, people know what is being proposed and listen to people on the issue before a decision is made, he said.

During this proceeding, the process moves forward when no one questions a proposed budget for a department or agency and they think everything is OK, he said.

April Grant, a resident of Salem Township, said the public will have no chance to give feedback on the committee’s proposal.

“We don’t know what you are thinking,” she said.

“This is a public hearing. It is your chance to speak,” Calloway said.

Grant asked how the committee felt about the Tri-County Mental Health agency’s request for $20,000. Morgan said he would recommend flat-funding at the current budget level of $10,000.

Wilton Selectman Terry Brann said the committee has asked grant requestors over the last few years to trim back requests and find other ways to fund programs. More proposed programs that may see reductions are Western Maine Community Action, Western Maine Transportation, Greater Franklin Development Corp. and others.

It will all depend on the committee’s recommendations and votes on Thursday. Its proposal will then go to commissioners.

County commissioners may not further increase, decrease, alter or revise the budget adopted by the budget advisory committee, except by unanimous vote of the county commissioners. If the adopted budget is changed by the county commissioners, the budget advisory committee may reject that change by a two-thirds vote of its membership. Those actions are final and are not subject to further action by either panel.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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