Franklin County commissioners voted 3-2 on Tuesday to develop a budget with the Budget Advisory Committee instead of following state law to set one and send it to the committee for review.

Commissioner Fen Fowler made the motion to set the budget in collaboration with the committee.

Commissioners Tom Saviello, Fenwick Fowler and Vice Chairman Tom Skolfield voted in favor, while Chairman Bob Carlton and Jeff Gilbert opposed.

Carlton and Gilbert wanted to follow state statute, which says commissioners “shall submit itemized finance estimates in the form of a budget to the advisory committee no later than 60 days before the end of the county’s fiscal year.” The advisory committee shall review the budget, together with any supplementary material, prepare a proposed budget and may increase, decrease or alter it as long as it explains any suggested change as initially presented by commissioners.

Requests from 11 county departments, including the jail, and from social service organizations, total $13.3 million, a $1.8 million increase from this fiscal year that ends June 30.

The requests include a 2.85% cost-of-living increase for nonunion employees and elected officials, including commissioners. Each of the five commissioners are paid $12,000 a year. If the increase is approved, they would each receive $12,572 beginning July 1.

The requests also include capital spending, with about $20,000 to $25,000 for a body scanner at the jail. Its administrator, Maj. Hart Daley, previously said the scanner would cut down on strip searches.

There is also $30,000 for a study to improve communications in the northern and central part of the county and $50,000 to improve security and badge access at the communications center.

Two new nonprofit agencies are asking for money. The Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County is requesting $100,000 and the Care and Share Food Pantry is asking for $5,000. Those bring the countywide social services and other organization requests to $463,177, which is $133,740 more than this year.

Commissioners reviewed the requests in an hourslong meeting in March. They were set to make a decision on each of them Tuesday, as they have in the past, but did not because the motion to collaborate with the Budget Advisory Committee passed.

The 11-member committee must elect a chairperson before meeting with commissioners, county Administrator Amy Bernard said.

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