PARIS – Barbara Payne may not have stirred interest on her own board, but her requests for a seminar on the Maine Freedom of Access law have caught the attention of a neighboring town.

Norway Town Manager David Holt on Thursday asked the Board of Selectmen if members would be interested in attending such a seminar. Paris may be sponsoring one, he said, and suggested the town of Oxford could be invited as well. The board was in favor of the idea.

Payne was pleased to hear the news the following day. “Oh, I think that would be a terrific meeting,” she said. “It’s nice when a town takes it upon themselves to get educated.”

However, the Paris Board of Selectmen has not even discussed Payne’s proposal.

The Maine Freedom of Access law regulates how public bodies inform the public about meetings and conduct business. It covers boards of selectmen, and details what records and meetings shall be open to the public.

Payne has twice requested the Paris Board of Selectmen hold a seminar on the law. In a memo given to board members Oct. 15, she said she was concerned about possible violations of the law.

On Nov. 22, Payne reiterated her concerns and expressed disappointment over the board’s lack of action.

Chairman Bill Merrill said only that the board would take the matter under advisement. He later said he never put the seminar issue on an agenda because he was not asked to do so. “If I put every item or memo that I got on the agenda, we’d be there two days in a row,” he said.

Merrill said he would include the seminar if Payne made a direct request. He said he was not personally concerned about the board’s actions in regard to the Freedom of Access law. “As far as I know, as long as I’ve been on the board we’ve done nothing illegal,” he said.

Selectman Vice Chairman Bruce Hanson agreed with Merrill and said selectmen who feel the need to educate themselves on such matters may do so individually.

However, on Friday, Hanson said he wouldn’t be opposed to attending a Freedom of Access seminar if Norway sponsored one.

A quick update on the law with Norway, Paris and Oxford present “would be a good idea,” he said. “It never hurts to do a refresher.

Hanson said he is opposed to Payne’s request because it sounded like she wanted to hold an all-day seminar.

“We’re being told by a freshman legislator that we’re doing everything wrong, and we’re not,” he said

Oxford Town Manager Michael Chammings could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.