DOVER-FOXCROFT — The 1994 budgets for Piscataquis County and unorganized territories have been adopted by the Legislature as proposed by the county commissioners.

The appropriations to municipalities was set at $1,963,368, with assessments set at $1,378,625.

Prior to submitting the county budget to the state, the commissioners reduced the audit account by $1,000 and made a $1,000 donation to the Heart of Maine Resource Conservation and Development District.

The commissioners restored $1,500 to the budget for the Southern Piscataquis County Chamber of Commerce, and agreed to continue the operation of the Emergency Management Agency from the Milo bunker.

The board also agreed to investigate tax shelter plans for employees who wish to participate in such programs.

While valuations in municipalities increased from $685,250,000 to $696,640,000, valuations in unorganized territories decreased from $467,400,000 to $467,050,000.

On Thursday, the commissioners voted to use $500 from the unorganized township budget to survey the housing renovation needs in unorganized areas from Blanchard to Big Squaw.

Ron Harriman, a private consultant who works with Dover-Foxcroft and Brownville in the application and administration of such grants, will perform the study.

If the need is evident, which Commissioner Gordon Andrews believes the study will show, an application for funding will be made.

To date, the unorganized townships of Williamsburg and Barnard were included with a Community Development Block Grant written for Brownville.

Orneville will be included with Milo’s application for a similar grant.

In other business, the commissioners discussed the possibility of offering two separate health plans to county employees.

Some employees who are not under the sheriff’s department bargaining unit have requested enrollment in Select Blue, an alternative offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine.

The health insurance account for the county increased by about $25,000 in 1994.