ROCKLAND - In two unanimous votes, the Knox County Commissioners and the Knox County Budget Committee approved the 2016 budget in chambers at the Knox County Courthouse. The budget was approved at $10,140,851, representing a four percent increase over 2015.

Roger Moody, chairman of the Knox County Commission, said much of the increase was for exterior repair to the courthouse.

“The building was built in 1860,” said Moody. “We found over the last year that the brick façade is in dire need of repair, so that’s added seven hundred and some odd thousand to our budget this year.”

Moody said the amount will be bonded over a period of time, but it does affect the budget. Many of the departments within the budget had decreases.

“Good budgeting and watching costs and trying to things more efficiently is a factor,” said Moody. “The department heads have been very attuned to that, and it shows in terms of the numbers that have come up.”

Moody said the county is facing revenue reductions in deeds.

“Part of the way we fund our budget is through fees that the registrar of deeds collects,” he said. “Surprisingly, the real estate market in Knox County is not as robust as it is in other counties and we’re still feeling some of the effects of the recession.”

Moody said that overall it was a good solid budget.

“None of us like to see it go up but things we have to do such as being a good steward to this building has a major impact in terms of a budget’s bottom line,” he said.

County Commissioner Carol Mainers said everyone worked hard on the budget.

“We made some changes and fully debated everything with the budget committee,” she said. “I think one of the controversies was whether anything in the budget should have to do with economic development.”

Maines said that everyone was in agreement that the building work needed to get done.

Dorothy Meriwether was chairman of the Knox County Budget Committee. She had high regards for the committee.

“The department heads have all done a sterling job in holding the budget as far down as they possibly could,” she said. “A four percent increase is fair to the taxpayers. I’m sure everyone would like to see it lower, but given the circumstances and details of it, I don’t believe we could have done any better.”

Meriwether said the committee was terrific.

“I continue to say every year, they are the best budget people I have ever worked with,” she said.

The Knox County Budget Committee consists of:

District 1 - Term January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2016, Nicholas Lapham, Isle au Haut, Matinicus, North Haven, St. George and Friendship

District 2 - Term January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2018, Dorothy Meriwether, South Thomaston, Vinalhaven, and Owls Head

District 3 (Two Members At Large- Term January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2016
Shawn Levasseur
Terry Pinto 

District 4 - Term January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2018, Randy Stearns, Camden

District 5 - Term January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2016, Robert Duke, Rockport and Hope

District 6 - Term January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2018, Lawrence Nash, Appleton, Union and Washington

District 7 - Term January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2016 William Jones, Warren

District 8 - Term January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2018 Gerald Zwick, Thomaston