PARIS – Two police dispatchers have been cited for their cool heads and quick response during a tense high-speed chase April 23 in which Bethel Police Chief Darren Tripp was nearly run over.

Steve Kierstead and Lisa Cote, both dispatchers at the Oxford County Regional Communications Center, were commended by Tripp in a letter circulated at Tuesday’s Oxford County Commissioners meeting.

The chase, which lasted 17 minutes, covered 28 miles and required the coordinated response of five separate police departments communicating through Kierstead via radio.

“In a situation that by its very nature is arguably the most stressful call a dispatcher is called upon to handle, Steve Kierstead conducted himself with a level professionalism that I found exemplary,” Tripp wrote to Judy Knight, the RCC’s communications supervisor.

Titcomb revenue

exceeds estimate

FARMINGTON – The numbers are in for the 2002-03 ski season, and Titcomb Mountain posted strong results, proving that little mountains can pull in big dollars.

The not-for-profit mountain is owned and operated by the Farmington Ski and Outing Club.

The total income generated for the season was $200,299.96, more than $5,000 more than anticipated.

Season-pass sales are expected to rise next season as more and more people head for the slopes. According to mountain manager Megan Roberts, season-pass prices will increase by 5 percent next year because of escalating insurance, fuel and maintenance costs. Passes for a family of four for both nordic and alpine trails will work out to around $100 per person.

“The last few years have been great,” said Roberts, attributing the financial success of the mountain to a drive to get youngsters off the couch and into the outdoors during the long winter months. “We have been really working hard to develop more programs to get healthier kids,” she said.

Foreclosure option

poor one for town

OXFORD – The town manager has issued a memo saying it doesn’t make sense for the town to sell foreclosed properties because most are mobile homes on leased land.

Mike Huston issued the memo last week. Huston said at least once a month or so the town office fields an inquiry from a person or company about foreclosed properties in town, presumably so they can buy them at bargain prices.

He said the town has 18 properties on which there is a mature, foreclosed tax lien, with a total owed to the town of $6,825.50. Of these 18 properties, there are arrangements with the former owners of six properties who are trying to pay off back taxes. Two other properties are in bankruptcy and therefore cannot be sold, Huston said.

But even if all of the properties could be sold, Huston said, selling them wouldn’t make sense since “the properties are typically mobile homes in a lot, where the person owning the mobile home does not also own the underlying ground.”

The average tax owed is $379.

If the town moves on the foreclosures, “it would find itself the owner of a mobile home, but no real property, making the possibility of collecting an amount greater than the taxes owed somewhat remote,” he said.

Otisfield voters

get striping vote

OTISFIELD – The people said they want road striping, presented a petition to the Board of Selectmen during their meeting Wednesday night and now it will go to the voters.

During a board meeting two weeks ago, selectmen took no action on the request and suggested it should be presented to voters during town meeting.

The petition presented calls for striping for a list of roads. Board members reviewed cost estimates for one stripe on roads and decided to include raising $3,000 from taxes to stripe all public roads in the community.

Cost estimates are $117 per mile. Selectman Assistant Marianne Izzo-Morin noted there are approximately 30 miles of road in town. It would cost approximately $3,510 to paint one stripe on the roads.


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