ALFRED — Residents tonight may weigh in on a proposed $19.6 million York County government budget in a public hearing set for 6:30 p.m. at the county government building (former jail) on Route 4.

The spending proposal as presented by the York County Budget Committee is virtually unchanged from the amount recommended by York County Commissioners – with one exception.

Budget Committee Chairman John Sylvester said the budget panel removed about $16,000 in health insurance and retirement benefits earmarked for county commissioners.

The gesture has been made several times over the years, but while the Budget Committee has final approval of the budget under state statutes, commissioners are the policy makers, so the benefits have historically been funded.

“People on the Budget Committee know this has happened in the past, (but) they felt strongly about it,” said Sylvester.

About $16.3 million, or 83 percent, of the nearly $20 million spending plan is funded through taxing the county’s 29 municipalities.

Highlights of the spending plan include use of $100,000 from the district attorney’s office administrative supervision fund to offset the creation of new positions, including increasing a part-time legal secretary to full time, a new victim witness advocate (a position partly funded by grants) and a new assistant trial manager.

The budget also contains funds for a new detective at the York County Sheriff ’s Office and a half-time clerk to assist detectives with clerical and evidence management.

A half-time maintenance position would move to full-time under the plan.

Following the public hearing, the budget committee is scheduled to vote on the final proposal. The county’s new fiscal year begins July 1.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].