County budget committee to caucus, April 9, elect members
- Tammy L Wells
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
ALFRED, Maine – The York County Budget Committee – the board that meets to review the York County government spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year – will caucus April 9 and vote to fill vacancies. There are seven positions to be filled by elected municipal officials from the five York County Commission districts, as outlined in state statute. There are three vacancies for public representatives.
Constituted by state legislation in 1993, the budget committee reviews the fiscal year spending proposal for all county departments as voted by York County Commissioners, may make changes, and schedules a countywide public hearing. The committee then votes on the spending plan.
Jo-Ann Putnam of Alfred has been a budget committee representative for many years, and has chaired board for the last several years.
“My original reason (for joining) was to actually see what my taxes were going towards, other than in the town I live in,” Putnam said. “I didn’t want to be that person who complained about the taxes I pay and not be informed.”
In all, the board is comprised of 15 voting members. State statutes spell out that there are three members from each York County Commission district: two elected municipal officials and one public representative. No more than one member may represent the same municipality at a time. The statute also spells out that the York County legislative delegation selects one of their members as a non-voting, 16th member, though that position has been vacant for many years.
York County Commission District 1 includes Acton, Berwick, Cornish, Lebanon, Limington, Newfield, North Berwick, Parsonsfield, Shapleigh and South Berwick, where there are vacancies for two elected members. District 2 includes Arundel, Biddeford, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport., where there is a vacancy for one elected member and a public member. District 3 is comprised of Buxton, Hollis, Old Orchard Beach and Saco, where there are two elected member vacancies; District 4, Alfred, Dayton, Lyman, Sanford and Waterboro has vacancies for one elected member and a public member; District 5, Eliot, Kittery, Ogunquit, Wells and York also has an elected member vacancy and a public member vacancy.
Budget committee members are elected to fill vacancies at the caucus, which is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9 at the York County Government Building, 149 Jordan Springs Road in Alfred. Notices have been sent to all 29 York County municipalities, and elected officials from those communities are asked to attend.
While a term may be up to three years, depending on the vacancy, the annual commitment itself is not lengthy – Putnam estimated over the last few years, the committee has reviewed the budget over 3-4 meetings, followed by the public hearing and vote.
She said some members whose terms have expired, constituting a vacancy, may choose to run for another term, and the committee looks forward to welcoming new members as well.
“Some members do usually reup for another term, which I hope happens again this year,” Putnam said. “The enthusiasm of new members is also nice to have on the committee.”
