PARIS – Parks and Recreation Director Joseph Cormier is handing over his file on the summer concert series and taking a new post as a full-time police officer.
Police Chief David Verrier presented a uniformed Cormier to the Board of Selectmen on Monday. “He’s very approachable, very friendly with the community,” Verrier said, adding that Cormier possesses all the qualities he could hope for in an officer.
Town Manager Sharon Jackson said Cormier has worked as a reserve officer for the Police Department since January. He took on the role of part-time recreation director in spring.
The town struggled to fill the recreation position after the resignation of its first director, Matt Shepard, last year. Shepard was hired in May 2004 and lasted only three months in the job.
“We will be advertising this week to fill the post of rec director,” Jackson told selectmen.
Cormier said he has no intention of walking away from his progress with the Parks and Recreation Commission, adding that he feels “strongly about what has been put in place thus far.”
He went on to detail the success of daytime programs added to the summer concert series, and said a new movie night will start Nov. 9. The possibility of turning the old fire station into a recreation building or senior center also is being explored. “We’re still plugging away and getting new activities,” Cormier said. “I feel you’ve got to start small.”
In other business Monday, the selectmen voted 5-0 to accept a $100 gift from N. Scott Moore. The money is to be used for a Christmas party for the town highway crew, Jackson said.
Selectman Bill Merrill asked whether accepting the money would violate the town gift policy.
“The one thing about the gift policy is the board has to accept the gift,” Chairman Raymond Glover said. “It has to be officially accepted.”
The selectmen also agreed to hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 10 despite the Columbus Day holiday. And the selectmen will depart from their normal meeting schedule in November to work around Jackson’s vacation schedule. They will meet on the second and fourth Mondays that month.
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