OXFORD – Kerry Halterman proposed a bold idea at Thursday’s selectmen meeting.

“I’d like to see a committee created to look into forming a tri-town community,” he said.

Norway, Paris and Oxford combined into one town, under one government?

Halterman wanted the proposal placed on the warrant for the March 13 town meeting.

After some discussion, most of it negative toward the idea, selectmen declined Halterman’s request.

Board member Michael Thompson said it was too soon to consider the idea, and he suggested Halterman petition to have the issue placed on the June town meeting warrant.

The action came as a new legislative committee was formed to study the pros and cons of regionalization of county, town and city services. The Joint Committee on Regionalization will report to the full Legislature with recommendations on consolidation of municipal services and proposed legislation.

Halterman said the three towns share some services now, but “more can be done.” He said the economics of having “three town managers, three police chiefs, three fire chiefs, three rescue chiefs and three code enforcement officers” carry a heavy burden on taxpayers.

Merging the three towns into one municipality with a population of 12,000 could mean more state aid and an greater possibility of attracting new business, he said.

Selectmen Roger Smedberg agreed with others who said the people weren’t ready to give up their town identity. But he added that the day might come when “our taxes are going to get so high, they are going to have to look at it,” referring to regionalization.

Thompson said some states have created boroughs made up of three or four towns, and “they keep their identity.”

But Oxford Police Sgt. Theron Bickford said taxpayers will lose control of the budget if towns are merged. And part-time workers who now work for several towns would become full time and would need to be paid benefits.

Resident Beth Heino said when the Paris and Norway police departments began talk of merging several years ago, there was so much ill will created “that they still don’t talk to each other to this day.”