By Kathryn Skelton,Staff Writer

NORWAY – A longtime community development director faces arrest on a charge of embezzling from town coffers.

Oxford County Superior Court Justice Roland Cole on Friday issued a warrant for Debbie Wyman of Harrison on a charge of Class B felony theft and gave permission to search her personal records and accounts, a court representative said Saturday.

Wyman, in her early 50s, has been community development director for Norway since 1986.

Town Manager David Holt said Saturday night that suspicions first arose a month ago.

Wyman’s been on a leave of absence since Christmas, after she requested three months off “to get away” and stay with a friend, he said.

Holt was unsure of her location, and Maine State Police had yet to make an arrest, according to a spokesman for the agency.

Holt described himself as “very surprised, very disappointed, very angry, (but) that doesn’t really matter, does it?”

Assistant District Attorney Joseph O’Connor declined to comment Saturday night beyond confirming the charge. He did say, however, that Class B theft can be any amount over $10,000 into the millions.

Holt declined to estimate how much is missing. He’s bringing in outside auditors to examine town books.

Last month, a local businessman came to the town office with questions after a new tax form indicated he’d received more money from the town’s Community Development Block Grant than he’d actually gotten to fix up his storefront.

“He had not received the amount the community development director’s records showed he had,” Holt said. “Once I suspected something criminal had taken place, I turned it over to the Norway police.”

The scope of the audit will likely go beyond the CDBG funds. Both Norway and state police are investigating.

“I want to establish how much we’re looking at,” Holt said. “We’ll turn over anything we find to the police that will add to the charges.”

The town will also seek restitution.

“I’ve notified (Wyman) that I’m investigating these charges and contemplating removing her from her job,” Holt said. He sent that letter this week, but hasn’t gotten a response..

In 2001, Wyman also was hired to spearhead the town’s Main Street project. Before selling out to a partner, she had co-owned and managed Trolley House Food & Spirits.

A telephone listing could not be found for Wyman. She lives in an apartment at The Anchorage on Route 117 in Harrison village.

Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland would only say Saturday night that, “There’s been no arrest.”

He said he did not have information on Wyman’s whereabouts or on any search of her apartment.

Staff editor Mary Delamater contributed to this report.