Waldo County Budget Committee reviews facilities, IT, and nonprofit requests

The Waldo County Budget Committee met October 17 to review budget requests from facilities management, IT, the Community Cupboard, the Belfast Soup Kitchen, and the Cooperative Extension. Members approved prior meeting minutes, passed a motion asking commissioners to pay a late $53,000 Motorola bill from the general fund, and requested regular updates from the county's new financial advisory committee.

Key points

• The committee unanimously approved minutes from the October 2 meeting after member Mary raised a follow-up on the contractor versus staff accountant request.
• Facilities Manager Chris Bryant presented a budget projecting a 12 percent electricity increase, citing PUC projections of 8 to 16 percent and a pending CMP rate request; members praised his management and noted solar credits and a two-year propane contract.
• The committee passed a motion, made by Brandy and seconded by Linda, requesting that a $53,000 Motorola bill received late be paid from the general fund rather than the IT budget, since the money was already allocated in a prior year.
• IT Director Jason Bailey explained that 2026 was the first full year of an IT operating budget and that several large costs (Motorola licensing, body cameras, finance software) are new or returning line items.
• Christy of the Rosewood Community Cupboard and Sherry Merrill of the Belfast Soup Kitchen asked for county support; Merrill said the soup kitchen served over 8,000 people last year, about 20 percent of the county, and that town contributions make up less than 1 percent of its budget.
• Cooperative Extension representatives requested $47,230.80, mostly for a 32-hour administrative specialist; members noted a legal opinion that county support is permitted but not required under statute.

Next steps

• Commissioners said they are pursuing both a contractor and an individual for the finance director support role and aim to bring figures to a future meeting.
• The committee requested occasional reports from Treasurer Owen Smith, who chairs the financial advisory committee, and asked that the advisory committee's minutes be emailed to budget committee members.
• The Belfast Soup Kitchen was asked to send fundraising and budget request information to town offices, and members suggested tours of the facility.

Read the full transcript The agenda