§723. Androscoggin County budget committee

In Androscoggin County there is established a budget committee to carry out the purposes of this article.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]

1.  Membership.  The budget committee consists of 11 members, 3 members from each commissioner district selected as provided in this section and 2 members of the Androscoggin County legislative delegation elected by the legislative delegation. The members from the Androscoggin County legislative delegation may vote on committee matters. The county commissioners serve on the committee in an advisory capacity only and may not vote on any committee matters.

In 1989, and every 3rd year thereafter, at least 90 days before the end of the fiscal year, the 11 members are elected by the following procedure.

A. The county commissioners shall notify all municipal officers in the county to caucus by county commissioner districts at a specified date, time and place for the purpose of nominating at least 3 residents of the district of voting age as candidates for the county budget committee. At least 2 of the persons nominated must not be municipal officials. A county commissioner shall serve as nonvoting moderator for that district caucus. Nominations shall be received from the floor and require a majority vote of those present to be approved. The names of those duly nominated shall be recorded and forwarded to the county commissioners to be placed on a written ballot.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]

B. The county commissioners shall have written ballots printed with the names of those candidates selected in each county commissioner district under paragraph A. Each commissioner district shall require a separate ballot and each ballot shall specify each candidate's full name and municipality. The county commissioners shall distribute the appropriate ballots to each municipality within a commissioner district. The municipal officers shall vote, as a board, for 3 budget committee members from the candidates on the ballot. The municipal officers must vote for at least 2 candidates who are not municipal officials. After voting, the municipal officers shall return the ballot to the county commissioners by a certain date.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]

C. The ballots shall be counted at a regular meeting of the county commissioners. Each municipality's vote shall be weighted according to the formula set out in paragraph D to ensure that each municipality's vote reflects its proportion of the commissioner district's total population. The 2 candidates with the highest vote totals and who are not municipal officials and the candidate with the otherwise highest vote total are elected to membership on the county budget committee for each district. The county commissioners shall:

(1) Notify each municipality, in writing, of the election results; and

(2) Certify the results to the Secretary of State.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]

D. The votes of each municipality shall be multiplied by the figure next to the municipality's name as follows:

(1) For Commissioner District Number One:

(a) Durham, 975;

(b) Greene, 1176;

(c) Leeds, 577;

(d) Lisbon, 2619;

(e) Livermore, 607;

(f) Livermore Falls, 931;

(g) Sabattus, 1294;

(h) Turner, 1435; and

(i) Wales, 381;

(2) For Commissioner District Number 2:

(a) Auburn, 6935;

(b) Mechanic Falls, 937;

(c) Minot, 671; and

(d) Poland, 1454; and

(3) For Commissioner District Number 3:

(a) Lewiston, 1.

These adjustment figures must be revised after each decennial census.   [PL 2009, c. 650, §1 (RPR).]

E. The Androscoggin County legislative delegation shall caucus and choose its 2 budget committee members for a term to be set by the delegation.   [PL 1999, c. 253, §3 (NEW).]

[PL 2009, c. 650, §1 (AMD).]

2.  Duties.  The county budget committee shall review the budget and estimates, including the salaries for county officers, prepared by the county commissioners, and shall approve a final county budget as provided in this article.

[PL 1999, c. 253, §4 (AMD).]

3.  Term of office.  The term of office for budget committee members is 3 years.

[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]

4.  Vacancies.  A vacancy occurring on the budget committee must be filled by the committee for the balance of the unexpired term. The person appointed to fill the vacant office must be from the same municipality or county as the person vacating the office.

A legislative vacancy occurring on the budget committee must be filled by the Androscoggin County legislative delegation for the balance of the unexpired term.

[PL 1999, c. 253, §4 (AMD).]

5.  Expenses.  Members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed from the county treasury for expenses lawfully incurred by them in the performance of their duties.

[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1987, c. 737, §§A2,C106 (NEW). PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 104, §§C8,10 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 253, §§2-4 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 650, §1 (AMD).