It is my opinion that the “Lowest Law Enforcement Priority” article should be voted down by the citizens of West Paris at their town meeting in March. This four-page proposed ordinance directs law enforcement officials to ignore “investigations, citations, arrests, property seizures, and prosecutions for adult marijuana offenses.”

I see the “Citizen Oversight Committee to oversee the implementation of this ordinance” and the extensive paperwork called for in this article as an unnecessary cost to the town.

I am extremely concerned with the legality of this proposed ordinance and feel that every registered voter should attend the informational meeting on this article, which is scheduled for the West Paris Town Office at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25.

In my opinion, passing this article will place an ordinance on the books of West Paris with no legal meaning. A town ordinance cannot override state and federal laws, and the local sheriff’s department does not enforce town ordinances. It would create additional costs to the town associated with the implementation of the ordinance, which is called for in the article.

It is my hope that the voters of West Paris will put this article to rest by voting it down on March 3.

Sandra Poland, West Paris