NORWAY – An attorney speaking for the Board of Selectmen said Wednesday night that a decision on a personnel matter concerning Police Chief Tim Richards would be available to the public on Friday.

Citing confidentiality issues, neither John Loyd of Eaton & Peabody in Brunswick, representing selectmen, nor Town Manager David Holt would comment specifically on the action being taken.

Richards was present for the meeting. He had no comment and shrugged his shoulders in a sign of uncertainty to other Norway policemen as he walked out of the hearing room.

Selectmen met for more than two hours before deciding to meet again Thursday at 6:30 in the town office.

Loyd said a decision would be reached by that meeting’s end.

“I think the selectboard (sic) is going to think about what they learned and read about at this meeting,” Holt said.

He said he provided them with written material.

Town attorney Geoffrey Hole represented Holt in the process, but made no comment.

Richards, 44, of Bradley Pond Road, Lovell, was placed on paid administrative leave March 4, pending the outcome of Holt’s investigation into incidents surrounding a protection from abuse order filed by former Norway police officer Cynthia Mitchell, 41, of Harrison.

Holt reached a decision, which he could not divulge.

Loyd explained that a Maine statute essentially states that an employee disciplinary matter that is appealed is not a public record until the result of the appeal is rendered in writing by selectmen.

Holt, as town manager, is responsible hiring and firing employees.

Selectmen act as the appeals board for decisions concerning termination.

A temporary protection from abuse order had been granted on Feb. 20, based on Mitchell’s allegations of harassment by Richards earlier this year and assault by him in August 2002.

Mitchell, who was a Norway officer from August 1999 to December 2002, said she and Richards had been seeing each other since the summer of 2002, and she broke off the relationship earlier this year.

The March 4 hearing was waived by Judge Andrew Horton at Bridgton 9th District Court when Richards agreed to a year’s continuance of the temporary order.

Richards has been placed on administrative leave twice in a 21-month period.

The first time was after he was arrested on June 6, 2001, and charged with assaulting his former wife Patricia.

That case, after a change of venue from Oxford County Superior Court to Franklin County Superior Court, was filed on Feb. 5, 2002. The filing meant that no further action would be taken providing that Richards has no further incidents over the next six months.
[email protected]