Lincoln County towns will find out what their share of the county's $10.2 million budget is in the spring, after auditors determine what revenue is left from 2012. 

As of December 28, when commissioners held a final meeting of the year to sign off on the 2013 county budget, towns will split the $8.9 million so far calculated. 

Declines in liability insurance, employee benefit and workers' compensation costs brought Lincoln County's budget down by a slight margin from previous estimates. Any additional revenue revealed from the audit will further decrease this $8.9 million cost to towns.

Due to state valuation of each town, some will pay less than others. In 2012, towns paid anywhere from $58,481 (Somerville) to $1,275,455 (Bristol) in county taxes.

Parting words from two commissioners

Since this was the final meeting of County Commissioners for 2012, Commissioners Lynn Martin and Sheridan Bond offered a few parting words. 

Two new commissioners will take their place at the beginning of 2013, starting with a swearing-in ceremony on January 2. 

Hamilton Meserve will serve as Commissioner for District 1, replacing Martin, and Mary Trescot will serve as Commissioner for District 3 in place of Bond.

“I am very pleased we have had three flat budgets in a row,” Bond said in the final minutes of his tenure. “It was a team effort. We couldn't have done this without the department heads.” 

Bond added that the commissioners collectively set the tone to carry county departments forward and, while they met some challenges along the way, accomplished a lot as a team.

“It's a challenging position,” Martin said. “You're working with employees, with unions, with contracts. 

“As a board, we thought long and hard about the decisions we made and how they would impact the employees, the contractors, but most certainly how they would impact the members of our county,” Martin said.

Martin said they were cognizant of peoples finances as they made decisions on behalf of the county, knowing that there are residents who struggle to pay for heat in the cold, winter months, for medication and for other expenses.

“It's not for popularity,” she said. “But I think we can leave here with our heads held high, knowing that what we did here was what we thought was best for everyone.”