ALFRED — When Wells Town Manager Jonathan Carter began preparing a memo to his selectmen’s board outlining the upcoming York County Budget Committee caucus, he discovered two had been set.

One was called by York County Commissioners for Sept. 19, the other by longtime budget committee Chairman John Sylvester for Sept. 5.

“As someone from the sidelines ”¦ I’m scratching my head,” said Carter. “It’s unfortunate, and it looks like a power struggle. I hope we can get by it.”

Carter called County Manager Greg Zinser, who said commissioners will recognize only the budget committee members elected at the caucus they set for Sept. 19. In a brief interview Thursday, Zinser said he has spoken with the county’s legal counsel. He said he has no written legal opinion, but an examination of all of the statutes that govern the county show commissioners have the authority to call the caucus, which he said amounts to calling the meeting.

Sylvester, who has been a member of the committee since its inception, said commissioners are “not in the position to say who will and won’t” be recognized.

Sylvester said the Sept. 5 caucus will go on, and that state statutes back up his and other members contention that the county budget caucuses are a municipal function. A letter from attorney Ron Bourque that Sylvester sent to municipalities and budget committee members Thursday said the Sept. 5 caucus was properly called.

State statutes governing county budget committees differ from county to county. Bourque said 1987 state legislation regarding the Waldo County budget committee caucus procedure spells out a role for county commissioners. Had the Legislature intended a role for York County commissioners in the 1993 legislation, they could have followed the Waldo County model, he said.

There are 10 vacancies to be filled on the 16-member board, which is made up of a mix of elected municipal officials and public members and one non-voting member of the county’s legislative delegation. The panel examines a budget that is first recommended by county commissioners, may make changes and takes a vote after a public hearing. Theirs is the final authority on the annual county budget. Prior to 1993, county budgets were approved by the Legislature.

In calling a caucus for Sept. 19, York County commissioners have said they were taking a proactive approach and one commissioner, Gary Sinden, who represents five southern York County towns, said some officials he spoke with knew nothing of the county budget process.

Commissioner Richard Dutremble Thursday said he can’t verify that assertion, but he went along with the others to ensure everyone was aware of the caucuses.

“I have nothing against anyone on the budget committee,” Dutremble said.

The apparent caucus impasse outlines continued tensions that have existed between commissioners and the budget committee extending back before Zinser’s arrival a year ago. The entities have in the past sparred over budget-related issues like county-paid health insurance for commissioners and financial donations to social service agencies. Each side has, at times, said their efforts to forge a more cordial relationship with the other has been ignored.

Budget committee Vice Chairman Joe Hanslip, a former county commissioner, said it is “ludicrous” to suggest the budget committee membership needs to be recognized by commissioners. Recognition of the volunteer committee exists in state law, he said, and was created by the Legislature to provide checks and balances. The budget panel, he said, is a separate and autonomous arm of York County government.

“It is sad that the commissioners have chosen yet another divisive path to follow as we enter into another budget process,” said Hanslip. “It is my hope that the continued entreaties of the budget committee to form a solid working relationship with the commissioners will be accepted so that we can put this latest round of nonsense behind us and do the jobs that we are respectively called upon to do.”

Wells Selectman Richard Clark is a budget committee member who said he plans to attend the Sept. 5 caucus. And Waterboro selectmen in a letter to Zinser earlier this week said they’ll be attending and acknowledging the Sept. 5 caucus as the official one.

While the county commissioners have, through Zinser, said they won’t recognize those elected to the budget panel at any caucus other than the one they’ve called for Sept. 19, neither Zinser nor Sylvester could predict what will ultimately take place as the two caucuses go forward.

Dutremble expects some rocky days ahead.

“This is probably going to get out of hand,” he predicted. “I hope we can talk about it. Maybe something good will come out of it.”

The Sept. 5 caucus has been set for 6:30 p.m. at Alfred Town Hall. The Sept. 19 caucus has been set for 7 p.m. Sept. 19 at York County Court House in Alfred.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, Ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.