Merger vote is set for August

PARIS — In the second public hearing in as many months about a merger between Paris and Norway police departments, Paris residents again voiced concern about the proposal.

At Monday's public hearing, held before the selectboard's regularly-scheduled meeting, residents, despite largely being in favor of the concept of a joint force, told the board the draft inter-local agreement for the merger was not detailed enough and a decision was being rushed.

During its meeting, the board approved the draft inter-local agreement and set a special town meeting for August 13 for a vote on the proposal.

Norway voters have already approved the agreement. If the Paris voters do the same, the two departments will begin a trial year of the joint force while considering the plausibility of a permanent agreement.

Residents' concern with the draft agreement was mainly focused on what they considered to be a vague explanation of how the trial year would be evaluated.

Jack Richardson said the agreement amounted to a "fait accompli" – an established fact – that the merger would go beyond the initial one-year trial.

He pointed to the section of the agreement that explained the role of the transition team that would, according to the agreement, be formed to determine the possibility of a permanent joint force to justify his argument.

Kathy Richardson voiced dismay that voters would be unable to make an informed vote because the agreement did not contain details on how the plan would be evaluated and lacked firm "benchmarks" of success or failure.

Other residents suggested the board was rushing into the agreement.

Barbara Payne said she was upset that a proposal from the Oxford County Sheriff's Department to contract for police services had not been given the same consideration the joint force did.

Calvin Woodard agreed that the proposal was being rushed through.

"I think the whole thing stinks, myself," he told the board.

Woodard said not enough voters knew about the merger and the decision would be made for the whole town by a small minority at the special town meeting.

Other residents voiced support for the agreement.

"We've got to try it people, please!" pleaded Bruce Sargent.

Sargent reminded people that there had been opposition to the road plan as well, but in his opinion it was working out –  he suggested the merger could too, if voters gave it a chance.

Robert Jewell also supported the agreement. He said that there was no way residents could get a more detailed agreement until the trial year was evaluated by the transition team, but the town should move forward with the proposal.

The board told residents it appreciated the feedback and understood many of the complaints, but remained steadfast in its opinion that specific questions about budgeting, officer contracts, equipment needs and command hierarchy would be addressed by the transition team during the trial period.

Selectman Ryan Lorrain stressed that although the proposal was imperfect, the board needed to move ahead, rather than be mired, trying to design something that would please everyone.

"It's going to be a work in progress," he told residents.

As a point of clarification, the board amended the agreement to include a provision that a representative of the Maine State Police would mediate and make a tie-breaking vote in the event of a deadlock between the two town managers. 

Board Chair Sam Elliot remained confident that the joint force would be constructive, particularly considering the absence of firm boundaries between the two towns.

"I'm inclined to think it's worth a try," he said. "I think a lot of things would go a lot more smoothly."