​ALFRED - The York County Budget Committee has several vacancies to fill ahead of the 2024 budget season.
 
The caucus for the selection of the 10 vacancies will be held on Wednesday April 10th at 6:30PM at the York County Government Building, 149 Jordan Springs Road in Alfred.
 
The budget committee is comprised of 3 members from each of the 5 commission districts, with two being elected municipal officials and one representing a member of the public. Members are selected at an annual caucus, typically held in April, where any elected municipal official in the county can vote on the selection. It can also have a non-voting member from the legislative delegation.
  
“I would encourage the communities in my district to send elected officials to the caucus to vote on the vacancies and put forward individuals interested in serving on the committee as we have 2 spots open,” says County Commissioner Justin Chenette, who represents Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Hollis, and Buxton. “This part of the public process is entirely separate from the commission and is a critical step towards ensuring that the county budget is finalized by the communities throughout York County in a transparent and accountable way.”
​
The county budget process involves county commissioners hearing budget presentations from the county manager and various department heads in late March and early April. After the commission passes the initial version of the budget, it then goes to the budget committee where there will be deliberations and a public hearing, likely in May. The committee then adopts its version of the budget and submits it back to the commission, who can either adopt it as is or modify it. If commissioners decide to modify the budget, it then goes back to the budget committee for final passage either by overriding the commission decision or agreeing with the changes made as the final step in the process. The budget must be adopted prior to the start of the new fiscal year starting July 1st.
  
Questions about the process or the budget committee’s work can be directed to the budget committee chair Jo-Ann Putnam at [email protected]. 

​“Our shared goal, everyone’s goal in this room, everyone’s goal at the county level, is that the dredge will be operational in the water for the next dredge season,” Chenette said. “No one wants to delay that any further.”

Appreciate the invitation by Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail to present the latest details around county dredge operations and answer questions from the City Council around how best for the city and the county to partner to tackle coastal erosion. ​

​Honored to participate in the 5th Annual Saco Bay Coastal Erosion Symposium hosted by SOS Saco Bay and the City of Saco. So important to bring every level of government together to continue tackling issues related to protecting our coast. Here is my update related to our county government’s dredge operation and where we stand today on the progress being made.

​Congrats to The Wardwell in Saco for being named Best Senior Living by Maine’s Best of the 207! Honored to speak to their residents alongside City Councilor Marshall Archer. The Wardwell is truly at the heart of what makes our downtown so special.

Government should always be looking at how it can help and be part of the solution. While county government has limited options when it comes to acting beyond the typically smaller scope of our responsibilities, the $40 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) package provided to York County by the federal government enables us to think big and act locally.
​
Last year, I voted to commit $27.5 million of these funds to be split evenly between our planned first responder training facility and substance use recovery treatment center. Both will help save lives, but the recovery center will be a literal lifeline for so many York County residents in need of treatment.

Upcoming meeting agenda. Tune in via Zoom HERE.

​Had a blast promoting our Saco Holiday Festival and Parade of Lights live on Channel 8 as their Christmas Correspondent and Elf Reporter! Click below to watch!