FARMINGTON — The Franklin County Agricultural Society’s decision to contract with the Farmington Police Department for fair coverage was a business decision to save funds, Building and Grounds Superintendent Thomas White said Friday.

“The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department’s provided a tremendous service for a good many years,” White said. “The society is looking to save money any way we can in this economy.”

Instead of paying more than one police agency for fair coverage, the Agricultural Society can save approximately $3,000, White said.

Farmington police Chief Jack Peck received approval Tuesday from the Board of Selectmen for the department to provide police services during Farmington Fair in September. White and two agricultural society officials attended the meeting with Peck.

For their services, the department will be paid $12,240 for coverage.

Franklin County Sheriff’s Department charged the Agricultural Society $9,333 for services rendered in 2013, Sheriff Scott Nichols said Thursday. The amount is nearly $3,000 less than the amount agreed upon with the Farmington department, he said.

He questioned costs being the reason and felt the department had provided proper services as they had never received complaints from the Agricultural Society.

He was surprised no one from the Agricultural Society had contacted the Sheriff’s Department, he said.

“I’ve heard rumors about discussions,” he said of the change, but the department was not involved.

White said the amount paid to the Sheriff’s Department was not the only cost for police coverage. 

The Farmington department will ask sheriff deputies and officers from other local towns to cover shifts that they can’t do and swear them in under Farmington Police Department for that week, White said.

White said the decision was a business decision based on figures showing a potential for savings as provided by the society’s treasurer, Marcus Rowe. 

White said that he abstained from the vote because of his prior association with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department. He retired last year from a position as a detective with the department.

abryant@sunjournal.com