County leaders approved a $1.75 million county budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which includes $62,960 to offset a deficit due to the loss of alarm fee revenue.

The bulk of the offset will be raised through a proposed five per cent administrative fee tacked on to the budgets for seven regional health and human service programs. Voters from all six towns will be asked to approve the fee at town meeting.

The plan drew debate at the Wednesday meeting as some county advisory board members felt it was an improper way to raise revenue. West Tisbury selectman Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter 3rd expressed dismay that the five per cent fee language was not included in the warrant articles. In the articles, only the lump sum for each particular program is shown.

“I think people would feel better if that was part of the county budget,” said Oak Bluffs selectman Brian Packish. “We just can’t keep coming up with these county surcharges.”

County manager Martina Thornton said the funds are needed to pay for the county’s growing workload in administering grants to regional services and capital expenditures, including paving the county administrative building’s parking lot.

“We do more work and we need more money to do more work,” she said. “That’s why the county budget is a little more increased.”

According to records, the total county budget has fluctuated up and down over the past five years, and is now about the same as 2016.

The county manager’s salary has increased from $79,993 in 2016 to $109,272 in FY20.

Edgartown selectman Art Smadbeck said he was okay with the five per cent fee, arguing that the amount was standard for administering grants.

“Having a five per cent fee tacked onto these things is not abnormal,” he said.

Tisbury selectman Melinda Loberg agreed and said the final decision should be left up to voters.

“The people of Martha’s Vineyard have asked us to have these programs and expressed a willingness to pay for them,” added Ms. Loberg.

Mr. Manter expressed concern over where the money would come from if voters reject the funding proposals.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” said Mr. Smadbeck. “At the end of the day, we have to vote on it. I think we have an obligation to look at doing it differently next year.”

The board also approved allowing the county to lease the second floor office space of the Center for Living building in Vineyard Haven to Island Health Care at no charge. The lease will begin April 1 and run for three years.

Editor's Note: story has been corrected with  final budget numbers.