DIXFIELD – Selectmen on Monday gave unanimous support for a grant application for a police officer to handle domestic, child and sexual abuse cases in Rumford, Mexico and Dixfield.
Rumford police Chief Stacy Carter is calling for support from selectmen in the three towns to seek a portion of $263,000 offered by the Maine Department of Public Safety for an investigator.
He received Rumford’s backing last week and will go before Mexico selectmen on Wednesday.
During 2005, he said more than 200 such cases were reported in the three towns.
“Domestic violence is prevalent in every community in the United States and we see it here in Oxford County. It affects the whole family and the workplace,” he said.
If the grant application is successful, he said the investigator would work with the Abused Women’s Advocacy Project and other victim services. He said the three chiefs would develop criteria for structuring the position.
Dixfield police Chief Richard Pickett said the proposed position would be a good thing.
“Domestic violence is in our area and it is an issue in our town. I’d like for us to become involved,” he said.
The application must be submitted by Aug. 17. Carter said he would return to the board with an update about that time.
In other matters Monday, selectmen tabled a request by Mexico police Chief Jim Theriault that a 2004 Arctic Cat all-terrain vehicle owned by the Dixfield Police Department as the result of a drug forfeiture be given to his department.
He said the two towns received a grant to use four-wheelers for patrolling ATV trails in both towns, but now that Dixfield selectmen decided against authorizing the patrols, the grant may be in jeopardy.
He said, too, that the Mexico Police Department played an important role in the drug bust that resulted in the vehicle forfeiture.
The board decided to stand by its decision to put the vehicle out to bid; however, Chairman Tony Carter encouraged Theriault to put in a bid.
Carter said the board decided to allow the Maine Warden Service to patrol the trails while the Dixfield Police Department would patrol the trail heads.
He said the board will decide what steps to take regarding the four-wheeler on July 11, which is the day after the deadline for submitting bids for its purchase.
Also on Monday, the board approved a plan by the Economic Development Council to erect an informational kiosk at the Village Green at a cost not to exceed $3,000.
Council Chairwoman Norine Clarke said the approximately 8- by 4-foot kiosk will be constructed of vinyl with a cedar-shake roof and cupola. The council plans to raise much of the funds needed through business contributions in return for having their locations marked on the town map. Once guidelines are developed, the kiosk will list points of interest, businesses, events, and other data.
She said the kiosk should be ready by the end of the summer.
Chairman Tony Carter was re-elected to lead the board. Selectman Bettina Martin was elected vice chairwoman, replacing Eugene Skibitsky, who chose not to seek another term.
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