The Lincoln County Advisory Committee has completed their work and the 2008 budget is now in the hands of the commissioners.

The committee recommended cuts in the Sheriff's budget, the Lincoln County Historical Association, and the county buildings account. They recommended no money for the Time and Tide Resource Conservation and Development organization.

The committee recommended the sheriff's budget be cut by about $38,000. Sheriff Todd Brackett requested $2,085,999 for his 2008 budget, the budget committee recommended $2,048,099. However, they did not make any suggestions as to where he should make the cut.

Brackett had requested an increase of 9.82 percent in his 2008 budget; the budget committee recommended a 7.82 increase. His last year's budget was $1.9 million.

The Lincoln County Historical Association requested $10,000 from the county, and the budget committee recommended $7,500. The 2007 request from the association was $5,500. The representative from the group, John Robbins, President and Director, was asked why the request had doubled since last year. He said the extra money is needed to complete work on the exterior granite blocks at the Old Jail, dehumidification and ventilation of the jailor's house basement, and repairs, re-glazing and repainting of the jailer's house windows. The Association is preparing for the Pownalborough Court House 250 th year celebration of Lincoln County in 2010.

The Budget Committee has recommended cutting the County Buildings account by $2,000, from $247,000 to 245,000.

Time and Tide Resource Conservation and Development requested $3,670 but there was no representative at the meeting to speak on the request. The commissioners could reconsider the request when they review the budget. Time and Tide is a non-profit organization made up of volunteers from six counties, including Androscoggin, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and Waldo. They work to conserve, improve, and develop the communities' natural resources in a manner that will preserve Maine for future generations.

The committee approved EMA Director Tim Pellerin's request for $8,000 to hire a part-time assistant for operations training. The new employee will assist the director with plans for training along with directing and managing all aspects of the County EMA programs in the absence of the director and deputy director. Lincoln County Commissioner Sheridan Bond commended Pellerin for his dedication and time he has devoted to training within the county.

"We were hoping to get a diamond in the rough, when we were searching for a new EMA Director. What we found was a gem," Bond said.

Boothbay Fire Chief Dick Spofford also spoke on behalf of the good work that Pellerin is doing within the county.

The budget committee accepted the recommendation of an 18-month budget of close to $46,000 for planner Robert Faunce to bring the planner's budget into a calendar year. The budget will cover the last six months of the county's FY-07 (July 1- December 31, 2007) and all of the county's FY-08 (January 1 through December 31, 2008.

The commissioners will make a decsion on the county 2008 budget sometime in December.

The 2008 advisory committee members include: Charles Cunningham, Boothbay; Lynn Orne, Southport; George Richardson, Westport Island; Charles Callamore, Waldoboro; Robert Tibbetts, Bristol; Chester Rice, South Bristol; John Ottum, Dresden; Josh Pinkham, Damariscotta, and Robert Plourde, Newcastle.