PARIS — A deputy fire chief is vowing to speak to legislators about changing state law, after the Police Department denied a request to hold a tollbooth fundraiser.

Deputy Chief Willie Buffington of the Paris Fire Department said he would like to set up a tollbooth on Route 26 near the post office to raise money for the Fireman's Association. Buffington said the funds would go toward helping hospitalized people, purchasing new fire equipment, and other causes.

Buffington said two people would collect money from drivers, and signs and cones would also be set up. He said the fundraiser would happen in February due to more traffic to the Sunday River Ski Resort.

Chief David Verrier of the Paris Police Department said he has denied the request due to potential liability issues.

"If a driver comes through one of these tolls and somebody gets hit, because the chief of police said it's OK, I can assume liability," Verrier told selectmen Monday.

Verrier said he would also have to approve tollbooth fundraisers for numerous other charitable organizations if he granted one to the Fireman's Association.

"We're going to have one every single weekend right in front of Moore Park, and I just don't think that's a good idea," Verrier said. "There's plenty of other fundraisers out there."

Buffington disagreed with Verrier's recommendation that the association could seek money at the annual town meeting, and said a tollbooth would be able to collect $3,500 to $4,000 in a matter of days. He said the Rotary Club and Kiwanis recently held a similar fundraiser on Fair Street in Norway.

"It makes us guys feel kind of bad," Buffington said. "A mile away on the line they let them do it, and we can't do it in our own town."

Verrier said tollbooth fundraisers were originally not allowed by state law, but the law was later scaled back to allow them to take place with the permission of the town's police chief. He also said he had no concerns with the actions of the fire department members themselves and would be willing to help them raise money in other ways.

"If you do another dunk tank and want to put me in the dunk tank, I'm all for that," he said. "But this is a public safety concern I have."

The selectmen took no action on the issue, with some selectmen saying they supported the Fire Department but agreed with Verrier that the town could be liable if a serious accident occurred. Selectman Troy Ripley said he did not believe the board had any authority to overrule Verrier in the matter.

mlangeveld@sunjournal.com