Staff Writer 

In a budget scenario John Sylvester said has turned quickly for the worse, the state of York County government finances could lead to deeper cuts for public safety than originally anticipated.

Sylvester, an Alfred selectman who is also chairman of the 10-person York County Budget Committee, became the bearer of the bad news at a Jan. 14 public hearing at the York County Courthouse in Alfred.

Sylvester revealed cash reserves used to augment the more than $19 million county 2009-2010 budget were approximately $142,000 instead of the projected $775,000. The figures were still being checked by County Manager Richard Brown Tuesday, Sylvester said. 

Until the five county commissioners present a new budget or decide to work with the current one, the budget committee cannot schedule a new hearing to review budget details

At the hearing, the budget committee was told by county residents and town officials such as Sanford councilors Joseph Hanslip, Kevin Chabot and Maura Herlihy that public safety should not be spared as county government scrimps to balance its books.

Sheriff Maurice Ouellette announced four patrol positions are in jeopardy because York County commissioners requested $152,000 in additional cuts to the sheriff’s department budget.

In speaking against eliminating four patrol officers, Hollis resident Robert “Bo” Leveault, 60, said he was astounded county government required a $19 million budget and is certain all he needed from the county was protection for his property.

“I don’t need you people sitting on the board,” Leveault said. “You all never seem to go out of business. You just give us more taxes.”

Not all agreed that additional cuts should not be made. Reading from a list of department salaries, Alfred resident Marvin Anson said reduced overtime, personal use of unmarked vehicles and a reduction in fringe benefits could help the department absorb budget reductions.

His comments brought the ire of Leveault, who said law enforcement should be the last target of budget cuts. 

A Vietnam veteran and former Hollis deputy fire chief, Leveault said, “I earn what they earn, but I don’t have to wear a vest to get it. For 25 years I have had the benefit of the York County Sheriff’s Office. You’d be surprised by the level of calls they get.”

As he spoke about what the cuts might mean to the department Chief Deputy Matthew Baker was as emphatic as speakers at the public hearing two days before.

“This is not a scare tactic, this is reality,” he said Jan. 16, although he was uncertain about the depth of cuts the department might face.

Shifts of four deputies cover two of three county areas each month, while state police respond to calls in the third area. The areas are rotated, but according to Baker, no matter which zones are getting covered, the mileage between emergency calls and manpower needed to cover incidents like domestic disturbances already leave local towns vulnerable.

Coverage is further frayed because the weakened economy has created a surge in crime, especially burglary, said Baker, citing 150 calls for burglaries from Aug. 20 to Dec. 31, after getting 256 calls from Jan. 1 to Aug. 20, 2008.

Baker, who joined the department as chief deputy after Ouellette was elected in 2006, had been chief of police in Kennebunk, where it might take 10 minutes to get from one end of town to the other, he said.

“I could not believe the time it took to get from Point A to Point B,” said Baker about responding to calls in the county.

After eliminating the post of colonel in the department and reducing gas and uniform budgets to meet the $192,000 cut before commissioners asked for the additional $152,000, Ouellette said Jan. 14 all that could be cut was patrol positions.

A possibility is to eliminate all patrols between 2 and 6 a.m., but Ouellette stressed it was only one of several ideas the department is considering.