WASHBURN, MAINE — Residents will be asked to decide the future of police services in the town in a special vote next month.
With vacancies for both Washburn’s police chief and sole full-time officer, town officials want to hear from citizens about how to move forward and whether to hire new positions or contract with another law enforcement agency.
“This is a big decision for the town,” Keith Brown, chair of Washburn’s council.
“We want to get as much input from the citizens as possible.”
Separate from its Tuesday, March 21 town meeting, Washburn will be holding a secret ballot vote on Monday, April 24 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Civic Center to decide whether to hire the two positions or contract with an outside police agency.
The town is hosting a public informational meeting on Monday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Washburn Elementary School to discuss the issues and options around the police question, Brown said.
On hand to answer questions will be town officials and leaders from the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine State Police and the Presque Isle Police Department. One of those three agencies could be hired for police services if Washburn voters decide to contract out.
The $168,000 in funding needed for the local police department in the town budget that will be voted on on March 21 would be enough to cover the costs of keeping police within the municipal government or hiring it out, said Beverley Turner, Washburn town manager.
The April 24 question will ask voters whether to hire police officers through the town, or contract out. If voters choose the latter, town officials would then seek quotes from the three police agencies and decide which to do business with, Turner said.
The town will also be holding a formal public hearing on the issue on Monday, April 10 before the regular council meeting. That location still needs to be finalized, Turner said.
