AUBURN — In a split vote, the Androscoggin County Commission approved an additional $25,000 to replace more rotted wood than expected on the clock tower at the courthouse.

A closer inspection of the clock tower after the scaffolding was erected detected the deterioration of the wood trim.

The courthouse was built in 1857.

Last year’s commissioners had set aside $297,000 for renovations, with $72,000 carried over from 2016 and $225,000 taken out of reserves to be used, if needed. After reviewing bids, the current board approved spending just $200,000 to complete the project.

Work was proceeding on budget until a closer inspection revealed the need to replace the wood trim around the four clock faces, specifically:

•  Replace the circular trim on three clock faces. The fourth clock face trim will be repaired in place; and

•  Remove and replace all trim on the eight recessed panels beneath the four faces of the clock.

Materials, labor and the milling of the wood required an additional $14,125.

County Administrator Larry Post asked for the $25,000 from the unused reserves to cover that amount and any other minor contingencies.

Commissioners voted 4-2 in favor of the additional funding with Isaiah Lary of Wales and Melissa Willette of Lewiston opposing the additional expenditure.

Commissioners also, after a brief executive session, unanimously approved a three-year contract extension with its union employees for 2017-19.

The new contract includes a $1 hourly wage increase on Jan. 1, 2018, and another $1 raise on July 1, 2019. Employees would also receive a family leave increase from two days to five days per incident, with a total of 10 days being allowed each year, compared to the current six days now allowed.

The new contract also provides two additional choices for health insurance.

Union members have to approve the changes before the new contract takes effect.

Budget Committee 

With no member of the public speaking for or against the 2018 county budget during Wednesday’s public hearing, the Androscoggin County Budget Committee gave final approval to its budget recommendations with a 9-0 vote.

The panel cut $20,746 from the commissioners’ $13.6 million budget. More than half of the cuts came from the commissioners’ account.

The Budget Committee cuts lowered the tax increase from 5.79 percent to 5.56 percent. Last year’s county budget increase was 6.4 percent.

Commissioner Noel Madore of Lewiston and Budget Committee members Andrew Titus of Auburn, Anthony Reny of Greene, Norman Beauparlant of Poland and Chairman Michael Lachance of Lewiston all praised the process and the cooperation between the two boards.

Lachance urged commissioners to “raise the bar” from past years and approve the recommended budget with no further increases.

Commissioners are scheduled to discuss the 2018 budget at their next meeting Wednesday, Nov. 15.

ssherlock@sunjournal.com

A flock of European Starlings jockey for position on the scaffolding for the Androscoggin County Building’s clock tower and steeple of the Court Street Baptist Church in Auburn Wednesday afternoon. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)