FARMINGTON — A public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2016 Franklin County budget will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Franklin County Superior Courtroom.

The total on the 2016 budget is $5,781,243 — $129,994 more than last year, representing increases across the board from wages to facilities and insurance. Last year’s budget was $5.65 million.

The $883,397 wages allocation is $29,535 more than what was in the last fiscal year’s budget because of increased wages and hours for some employees.

Overall, numbers have increased slightly or stayed the same since last year with wages for a couple of positions decreasing.

The Franklin County Regional Communications Center is asking for $73,200 to start work on a proposed $488,000 upgrade to the county’s emergency dispatch center. The $73,200 was proposed as a supplemental budget to an overall $833,280 budget request by the dispatch center.

The upgrade is needed because of poor radio reception in some county towns, particularly Phillips and Strong.

The overall budget requests will be subject to votes by the county’s Budget Committee and the county commissioners. The Budget Committee is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget on Wednesday, June 24, followed by a commissioners’ vote on Tuesday, June 30.

Douglas McIntire — 861-9252

dmcintire@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @CD_McIntire

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