RUMFORD — The Rumford and Mexico Boards of Selectmen met with the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday evening and discussed whether the Mexico Explorers program would exist under the Sheriff’s current two-year contract proposal to serve both towns.

In November 2014, Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant presented a two-year contract proposal to serve both towns

It would cost the towns $1.32 million to provide 12 deputies total to both towns for the first year, while the second year would cost $1.18 million.

While discussing the Sheriff’s proposal at Thursday evening’s meeting, Selectman Byron Ouellette said that he wasn’t sure what direction he wanted to go in.

“On the one hand, it’s the less expensive way to go,” he said. “If you’re looking at it from a dollars and cents perspective, the sheriff’s proposal is the way to go. However, I’m really hesitant to lose out on some of the programs that the Mexico Police Department has started.”

Ouellette pointed out that the Mexico Explorers program, the neighborhood watch and a program in which officers keep an eye on elderly residents who live alone were all “great things for the town to have.”

Gallant said that when he was the chief of police in Wilton, he started a senior program.

“It originally started up in my office, and I slowly transitioned it to Seniors Plus,” Gallant said. “Every morning, at 8 a.m., we’d make calls to anywhere between 10 and 30 elderly residents. If they didn’t answer or didn’t respond, we’d assign a police officer to check on them. There are ways to make that program work.”

As for the Mexico Explorers program, Gallant mentioned that he testified against Mexico police Chief Roy Hodsdon’s proposal for the program.

“I hold my ground on that,” Gallant said. “I’m a firm believer that the Explorer program is a very good program for kids, but the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office will not allow kids to be riding around in cruisers with full-time officers.”

Gallant pointed out that Mexico had recently dealt with a shooting that turned into a stand-off.

“I don’t think kids should be put in a situation like that,” Gallant said. “I also don’t think that kids should be outfitted the same way that a full-time police officer is. Obviously, they went in favor of Roy, but I wouldn’t allow that program to be run the way it is.”

Gallant added that if the Explorers program were to continue, there would need to be “some ground rules set, for the safety of the public.”

Rumford Selectman Frank DiConzo mentioned that the Mexico Explorers were a volunteer group and raised their money through donations and fundraisers.

“When they have meetings and stuff, it’s off-duty,” DiConzo said. “Whoever the Sheriff hires, if they want to do a similar program on their own time, they can do that. In my opinion, nothing would change. The way it works now, there are kids who want to get out into the field, and because they’re gung-ho, they go out and raise the money.”

mdaigle@sunmediagroup.net