PARIS – A $186,500 request for three new law enforcement officers occupied the bulk of discussion at the first airing of Oxford County’s proposed 2005 budget.

The Wednesday meeting of the County Commission lasted no more than 45 minutes. During that time, County Commissioner Fred Kennard made clear his opposition to the hiring requested through the Oxford County Sheriff’s Department.

“I think that is quite a jump,” Kennard said, after pointing out that more personnel means long-term increases in insurance, holiday and retirement costs.

“Perhaps next year you’ll ask for three more,” he said, and suggested the practice could repeat indefinitely.

Chief Deputy Jim Davis was quick to respond. “Our promise to you, Fred, is there will not be a request for three more deputies next year,” he said.

Sheriff Skip Herrick agreed.

Increased calls for service, more time needed for calls and a growing population has created the need for more deputies, Herrick said. More manpower has been needed for five or six years, he added, but his requests repeatedly have been turned down.

“Whether it’s one or two or three, we need additional manpower out there,” he said.

Three new deputies would mean three new vehicles, additional weapons and uniforms, Herrick said, explaining the high cost of his budget request.

Herrick’s total budget request of $953,000 is an increase of 28 percent over the 2004 budget of $742,000.

Almost no other departmental requests were discussed Wednesday. Commissioner Steve Merrill urged members of the public to comment, but the room, dominated by department heads and public officials, remained silent. Except for Eugene Boivin of Rumford.

Boivin, a past Rumford selectman who served on the county budget committee for two years, spoke several times during the meeting. He questioned the budget format and criticized the county commissioners for allegedly approving after-budget expenditures such as travel expenses submitted by the judge of probate this year.

“I understand the county overdrew the budget account by $60,000 or more,” Boivin said. He added that he may have been wrong, but because of the format of the budget, it’s “impossible” to tell.

“Gene, other people seem to get along with it,” Commissioner Jim Carey responded.

The county commissioners and budget committee will meet again at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse Nov. 17, to continue work on the proposed $4.9 million 2005 budget. The proposed budget is up 13 percent from last year’s approved total of $4.3 million.