FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners have authorized letters notifying agencies that their requests for county funding in 2017-18 may be reduced or eliminated.
Commission Chairman Charles Webster of Farmington asked County Clerk Julie Magoon on Tuesday to draft the letters.
The county funded 10 requests for a total of $171,200 in 2016-17. The requests from 11 organizations and social service agencies totaled $255,887. Tri-County Mental Health Services’ request for $20,000 was not funded.
Several groups got less money this year, including Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice, Western Maine Community Action, Franklin County Adult Basic Education and Greater Franklin Development Corp.
Those that received their entire request included Franklin County Children’s Task Force, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services, Western Maine Transportation Services and Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Representatives of the Greater Franklin Development Corp. requested $60,000 but got $42,000 when the Budget Advisory Committee failed to override the commissioners’ decision. The budget panel had proposed $20,000. Half of the $42,000 is paid for through county funds and the other half through tax-increment financing funds.
Members of the council asked commissioners in October to consider a funding method of subcontracting for the economic development services rather than funding it through a program grant. A request for proposal of those services will be developed. If the council does not get the contract, it will not exist any longer, Executive Director Alison Hagerstrom said last year.
In the 2015-16 budget, the county funded the 11 groups for a total of $216,887.
Commissioner Terry Brann of Wilton said he was OK with Webster’s idea to send letters.
Brann said Tuesday that when he was on the county Budget Advisory Committee, applicants had to find a better way to get funding. There is a rule that if an organization seeks funding from the county, it cannot ask for money from a town.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
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