Police pondered by Paris selectboard

PARIS — Selectmen will hold a workshop at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, to discuss policing options. The meeting will be held at the Town Office, 33 Market Square.

Selectman Vic Hodgkins recently shared with his colleagues what he called the “Poland model” of policing. He spent several hours with Poland Town Manager Brad Plant discussing how law enforcement is run in that town. Hodgkins said Poland’s year-round population is roughly 6,000, which is comparable to Paris’ nearly 5,200. However, Poland’s population swells to 10,000 during the summer.

Poland contracts with the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office for two full-time deputies, relies on rural coverage from the Sheriff’s Department when the deputies aren’t patrolling, and also has a mutual aid agreement with Mechanic Falls Police Department, Hodgkins said. The cost for the current contract is $208,000, not including patrol cars, which are funded through a capital improvement plan.

Hodgkins said Paris’ valuation is around $330 million, while Poland’s is roughly $665 million, with a tax rate of $14.20 per $1,000 of assessed value. Paris’ tax rate is $18.30 per $1,000.

“They have a lot more value in their town,” he said. “If they had our valuation then their current (tax) rate would be over $28 based on their current spending,” he said. “This is a starting place for a new working model.”

Hodgkins said he’d like to be part of possible future discussions with interim Town Manager Sawin Millett and Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant.

Selectman Janet Jamison said she would have information about how Bethel conducts its policing before the Jan. 21 workshop is held.

In other Police Department-related news, Town Clerk Liz Knox said interim Chief Jeff Lange put out a request for bids for the department’s 2007 Ford Crown Victoria and golf cart through the Maine Municipal Association and the Advertiser Democrat.

“We are hoping we will have some bids for you to review at your Feb. 8 meeting,” Knox said.

Sgt. Hartley “Skip” Mowatt said the police cruiser is in pretty good shape.

“It’s drivable,” he said. “It’s the oldest one in the fleet. As we’ve done in the past, when we get a new one, we get rid of the oldest one.”

Selectman Robert Wessels suggested if the town receives low-ball bids for the car, it should consider allowing the town manager to use it to drive around town to save on mileage.

Knox also informed selectmen where she posted the town manager’s job announcement.

Last month, former Town Manager Amy Bernard left Paris to take the administrator’s job in Newry.

Between $1,300 and $1,400 of the allotted $2,500 has been spent advertising the job and includes postings on Indeed.com, Maine Municipal Association, the town’s website and Facebook page, and in the Portland Press Herald. Knox said she will also submit the hiring notice to the Sun Journal and Advertiser Democrat.

“We’ve received more applications for the opening at the Highway [Department] than the town manager,” she said.

Dalton Bradley resigned from the Highway Department last month, according to the Dec. 28 board minutes.

“I would rather expend the $2,500 budget sooner rather than later,” Hodgkins said.

Millett gave selectmen a brief update on the town’s financial status at their Jan. 11 meeting. He said he plans to give them regular updates. While some accounts, including administration and protection, are over-budget, some are on track, such as social services, and others are below-budget, including highway and fire.

“We’re not in bad shape,” he said. “The Highway Department in particular does not really reflect any snowplowing to date… That is a little bit misleading, but it is a good picture at this time.

“We have an issue with the Maine State Retirement system. We have not budgeted the employer share and have not for some years now,” he said. The town received a check for $247,000 during the summer for retirement, as did many other municipalities across the state. “Nothing to be concerned about, it’s just that we haven’t budgeted for it in the past,” he said.

In other news, selectmen:

* tabled discussing further how to account for Bernard’s vacation time she was paid;

* scheduled a joint meeting with the Planning Board to discuss revisions to the town’s sign ordinance for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23 at the Town Office;

* authorized Millett to send a letter to Norway Paris Community Television Committee member Ben Rowe to inform him the town is considering removing him from the committee if he does not attend meetings. Jamison, who also serves on that committee, said Rowe is a high school student who doesn’t have time to serve.

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