WEST PARIS – An emergency mutual aid agreement with Paris is back in effect following a vote by selectmen from both towns last week.

Earlier this month Paris voted to discontinue the contract because of dwindling force of firefighters in West Paris.

West Paris Fire Chief Mike Akers gave assurances last Thursday that his department is growing again and he will be able to provide coverage during any emergency.

“We will still need help on some occasions,” he said, “but we do have new members signing on now and feel our department is adequate in most cases.”

After meeting with Akers, Sharon Jackson and Brad Frost and hearing of Paris’ willingness to restore the pact, selectmen voted unanimously to sign a new mutual-aid agreement.

In other business, a public hearing regarding the 2005 municipal budget was scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, in the meeting room at the town office on Kingsbury Street. The hearing is an annual event allowing department heads and service organizations to justify their budget requests. After the hearing selectmen and budget committee members will finalize the 2005 budget.

Selectmen, budget committee members and Town Manager Don Woodbury all want a budget that shows as little an increase as possible.

In other matters, selectmen are asking the Oxford Hills Growth Council to keep support for a proposed office park development project off Route 26 in Oxford on hold for now. Selectmen said they need more information and want to see what happens over the next few months.

“We will consider supporting the project when we have more information,” said board Chairman Wade Rainey.