FARMINGTON —  A proposal for a deputy and cruiser made it through the first hurdle of the unorganized territory budget for Franklin County on Tuesday.

Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a $1.35 million 2020-21 budget for the area. The proposal includes $111,000 for a deputy and cruiser to patrol the unorganized territory.

Commissioner Charles Webster of Farmington said people contacted him about the deputy position. He met with Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. to discuss the matter.

The need is because Maine State Police do not cover Franklin County as it used to do, Webster said. The Legislature set different priorities for state police and to spend money in other places, he said.

State police and Franklin County deputies used to switch zones every Sunday so one agency was patrolling the southern area of the county and the other agency patrolling the northern area.

Webster said he supported the proposal.

Commissioner Chairman Terry Brann of Wilton agreed with Webster. He also consulted with Nichols.

Commissioner Clyde Barker of Strong who was absent Tuesday due to illness, was in favor of the position at the last meeting.

The overall spending plan is $186,822 more than the current $1.16 million budget. In addition to the deputy and cruiser, there is an increase of $49,473 in the snow removal budget for a new contract.

After revenues are factored in, the tax assessment for the territory would be $1.76 million compared to nearly $977,000 in the current budget, county Clerk Julie Magoon said.

The unorganized territory budget will go to the state fiscal administrator for the territory, and if approved, go to the state Legislature for consideration as part of the state’s unorganized territory budget.

In other business, commissioners approved jail Administrator Douglas Blauvelt’s recommendation to go with Clearwater Counseling and Consulting of Farmington for $30,000 to provide services for inmates from Jan.1 through June 30, 2020. The county will solicit requests for proposals for the next fiscal year of July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

The other proposal received was from Western Maine Behavioral Health for $36,012.

Commissioners also voted to hire Austin Couture of Wilton as a deputy. Couture is a patrol officer with Rumford Police Department. Commissioners approved hiring Couture part-time as of Tuesday; he will be full-time on Jan. 1, 2020.

Two patrol deputies, Derrick Doucette and Brad Scovil, recently resigned from the Sheriff’s Office. The county will need to reimburse the Rumford Police Department for prorated costs of Couture’s training at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Couture graduated from the academy in December 2018.

In other business, Webster asked staff to send letters to Western Maine Community Action, Western Maine Transportation Services and SeniorsPlus and make it clear there is no need to apply for funds from the county for next year’s budget.

Commissioners sent letters three years ago to the social services agencies explaining they would be phasing out funding after three years. Three years is up, Webster said.

The Franklin County Budget Advisory Committee approved $30,000 for community action, $10,000 for transportation services and $1 for SeniorsPlus — as a place holder — in the existing budget. Commissioners have not authorized that money to be released or about $18,000 for community action from last year.

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