Commissioners approve Unorganized Territory budget adjustment

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Piscataquis County Commissioners approved a $175,000 increase to the 2024-25 Unorganized Territory budget during a meeting on Tuesday, June 4. The budget will now be $2,375,199.

County Manager Mike Williams said the increase, which was approved by the budget committee during a May 30 meeting, will not result in an increase to taxpayers as the $175,000 will come from the undesignated fund balance.

He said there are several reasons for the $175,000 UT budget increase. Williams said a pair of plow contracts came in after the spending plan was finalized and these were both up by 40-45 percent rather than the 20-25 percent increases that were projected.

“The rest is to get a loan through FEMA,” Williams said. He said the contractor is currently working on road repairs from the December wind and rain storm, needing to get the improvements done now before other jobs.

A FEMA loan would refund about 70 percent of expenses for storm damage.

Williams said the portion of the $175,000 that is not expended could either go back into the undesignated fund balance or be put into a capital account. The commissioners would make a decision on this in the future.

The county manager said the capital account would be “for road construction work or paving work” in the UT. 

“It’s a way to build the capital up without hitting the taxpayer up because it’s already there,” Williams said. He said several budget committee members mentioned favoring this proposal. 

“I’m continuing to have meetings with FEMA on the roads with flood damage from the storm in December 2023,” Williams said in his report. He said both and he and Road Consultant Carl Henderson have been visiting various sites around the region for inspections.

Piscataquis County Emergency Management Agency Director Jaeme Duggan mentioned she and the office have been very busy with FEMA application deadlines approaching. She said many towns will be seeking funds to help cover storm damage.