PARIS — The co-owner of Daddy O’s restaurant in Oxford presented Paris officials Monday night with a check for $2,500, to help residents in need this winter.

Aaron Ouellette of Mechanic Falls said $4,400 was raised through the restaurant’s Acts of Kindness Foundation from serving meals on Thanksgiving Day. In the past, the restaurant gave money to Oxford, but he said his establishment is actually part of Oxford, Norway and Paris and wished to give money to all three towns. The restaurant chipped in additional funds and presented the Paris Select Board with a check for $2,500.

Daddy O’s, which is in the Oxford Plaza on Route 26, has a long history of supporting nonprofits in the Oxford Hills region, such as Special Olympics and food pantries.

Ouellette credited his wife, Amanda, a co-owner of the restaurant, with coming up with the fundraising idea. He said the town could use the money in any area there is a need, such as helping the homeless, drug addiction, heat or food assistance or other areas.

Selectman Walter Perry suggested using some of the money to shovel walkways and driveways for the elderly.

In other business, the board voted 4-1 against a proposal by Perry to change the Town Office hours to include nights or perhaps weekends. Perry said he heard from some constituents who felt the current hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., made it difficult to take care of business in the office.

Those hours will include a 30-minute lunch break from 12:30 to 1 p.m., starting Jan. 3.

Town Clerk Elizabeth Knox said the town has tried several times in the last 25 to 30 years to open for one night per week, or even once a month, but there was not enough foot traffic to support being open at odd times. Knox checked with several Maine communities on their office hours and noted that not even the cities of Portland, Lewiston and Auburn offered evening hours.

She added that virtually all services that residents might need, including re-registering vehicles, boats and ATVs, obtaining hunting or fishing licensing and paying property taxes can be done online or through the mail.

“We’re very accommodating,” Knox said.

Selectman Scott McElravy said he received numerous calls from constituents on a wide range of topics, but had never heard anyone complain about the office hours.

McElravy, Peter Kilgore, Carlton Sprague and Chairman Christopher Summers voting against the proposal.

Town Manager Dawn Noyes said she met with residents of Parsons Road, who attended the last board meeting to complain about the condition of that rural road. She noted that “we need to keep better tabs on our dirt roads.” Because of a ledge, the road cannot be made wider without extensive blasting. Noyes added that a top coat will be added to the road surface.

Highway Department Director James Hutchinson said Tuesday that gravel will be added to the surface.

The Town Office is no longer collecting new vehicle registration fees and excise taxes for the town of Buckfield. Paris had recently added an administrative fee to process the registrations.

Included in the list of warrants approved during the meeting were two payments to Buckfield for $4,109.14 and $2,544.08 for the excise taxes collected.

Noyes added that a Christmas benefit for teens will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, in at Moore Park between Route 26 and High Street.

The board refused to bring back to the table a request to appoint Ray Garnett as an associate member to the Planning Board. Garnett had served on the board for about 20 years.

« Previous

Oxford County Commission skeptical of countywide EMS system

Next »

Otisfield school closed due to COVID-19 infections, quarantines