By Doug Fletcher,Staff Writer

MONMOUTH – This town is divided.

Things are so bad that:

• Selectmen accepted their chairman’s resignation during a special meeting Monday afternoon. Leonard Bates cited “the hostile attitude by some at recent board meetings” in quitting the post effective the date of his letter, Oct. 25.

• Selectman Pauline McDougald was nearly moved to tears when she told people at the meeting that “Monmouth is a beautiful little town, but it’s not beautiful right now,” adding, “It breaks my heart to think of it.”

• Selectman Ronald Moody suggested Monday that he and former police officer Ed Phillips step outside “to the field out back” to resolve their differences.

Bates’ resignation comes on the heels of Town Manager Jason Simcock’s resignation last week. He’s giving up the manager’s job to take on a planning role in Gardiner.

At the root of the problem appears to be a community that can’t agree on the need for its police force. The dispute is old; one person said it dates back 20 or more years.

Some people here say get rid of the Police Department. Contract with the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office for patrol officers. That, or join a pact with neighboring Winthrop for law enforcement services.

Overflow crowd

Nearly 50 people overflowed the town office meeting room Monday afternoon to witness the ongoing wrangling. A few praised board members. Others challenged efforts that they said undermined the cops already working for the town.

Simcock said he, McDougald and Selectman Sharon Wing have already met with Kennebec County officials to discuss the use of deputies to patrol the town. Next, they’ll meet soon with Winthrop police and municipal officials.

Selectmen could, Simcock said, decide on their own to disband Monmouth’s police force and hire outsiders to protect townspeople.

Some residents said they didn’t think that would be right; that to do so without first getting a vote of townspeople wouldn’t make things better.

Others said go ahead, lead, and they’ll follow.

Phillips, who sparred verbally with Moody but didn’t take up the offer to visit the back field, is among those advocating to keep the Police Department.

He helped found the department in 1974 and 1975. Phillips said selectmen need to stop “micromanaging” police activities. Let the chief implement suggestions made earlier by a team of police professionals brought in to study internal problems, he said.

Curing’ a problem

And, Phillips added, the town needs to get rid of a hiring freeze that’s left the department shorthanded by an officer, as well as a part-time administrative assistant.

“I see people working late at night curing the administrative problem,” Phillips said. He said police have suffered from “a lack of support for two years, three years. Give them a chance … give it a chance.”

Moody, however, argued that “it’s time to poll again” to find out what townspeople want.

He said he’s “tired of complaints – no call backs … no reports being sent to the (district attorney.)”

Moody said the people who have been calling him to complain about police need to fill out formal complaints, sign them and get them into the hands of officials.

“This community once again has got to speak,” he said. “The phones are still ringing. I have concerns about what’s happening at the Police Department.”

He said he backed a motion that called for a no-confidence vote in the police chief. The motion passed 5-0, he added.

Chief Charles Shaw Jr. couldn’t immediately be reached Monday evening for comment.

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