Committee demands clear charge from selectmen

PARIS — Policy and Procedures Committee Chairman Jack Richardson has again requested that the selectmen seriously consider the P&PC's role.

In a letter to the board dated September 12, Richardson references the "passionate and disoriented discussion of traffic ordinances," that occurred at the September 10 board meeting.

The town's two traffic ordinances, recently updated by the P&PC, have been criticized by some board members.

Richardson says the recent controversy makes it apparent the board needs to give a formal charge to the P&PC or disband it.

In his letter, he requests that the board publicly discuss the P&PC during its September 24 meeting and reminds the board the committee "exists and functions" at its pleasure.

"While the P&PC can tell the Board of Selectmen what a policy, ordinance or procedure says, the P&PC does not and cannot accept the responsibility of telling the Board of Selectmen how any policy, ordinance or procedure should be applied or enforced," Richardson writes. 

He goes on to question whether the board wants to have the P&PC at all.

"If you ... wish to dispense with written policies, ordinances and procedures, and then handle each item on an ad hoc basis in the governing of this municipality, you need to say so, publicly, and dissolve the P&PC." 

The board briefly addressed the issue at its meeting Monday. P&PC member Anne Stanley, referencing the letter, asked the board to endorse the P&PC and requested a clear charge for the committee.

Vice Chair Bob Kirchherr told Stanley he deeply appreciated the P&PC's work. Without the committee, he said, the board's work would be considerably more difficult.

Selectman Ryan Lorrain, a former member of the P&PC also gave his thanks to the committee and said he understood the committee's need for clear direction from the selectmen.

The board agreed to address the P&PC issue at its next meeting, October 9.