WEST PARIS — The Board of Selectmen decided Thursday night to have the town manager get a legal opinion on what, if any, disciplinary action should be taken against Fire Chief Norman P. St. Pierre.
The 53-year-old Hartford resident pleaded guilty Monday to multiple charges stemming from shooting a bear and trespassing on a property in Hartford in 2015.
Prosecutors said St. Pierre removed no trespassing signs, entered a Hartford property without permission and shot the bear within 100 yards of a residential building during bear-hunting season in November 2015.
St. Pierre also pleaded guilty to criminal mischief.
In exchange for the plea entered in Oxford County Unified Court, prosecutors will drop all charges against him if he does not commit any crimes over the next year. He will have to pay $600 to cover administrative supervision fees for the next 12 months.
While the subject of St. Pierre was not on the original agenda for Thursday’s meeting, resident Michael Grass asked, “What is our code of conduct policy for anybody that’s employed by the town?”
Selectmen and Town Manager Wade Rainey said they were unsure of the policy without checking town documents.
Grass also wanted to know if anything was being done in regard to St. Pierre, even though he acknowledged it is a personnel matter which is typically handled in executive session.
Selectman Dennis Henderson said the board didn’t need to take any action, because “there’s nothing for us to discuss.”
“So it’s OK for an elected official or somebody we hire to break the law?” Grass asked. “Doesn’t make sense to me.”
“He wasn’t convicted,” Henderson said.
Another resident said he was previously involved in a similar situation like that of St. Pierre and was relieved from his duties with the Fire Department because of it, even though he pleaded to a lesser charge, just like St. Pierre did.
At the recommendation of Selectman Peter Collette, the board decided to have Rainey contact the town attorney for advice on how to handle the situation with St. Pierre, specifically any liability for the town and the integrity of town government.
St. Pierre was not at the meeting.
In other news, the board:
• Voted unanimously to revoke the junkyard permit of Kalvin Mason and Mason Restoration, after Mason asked in writing for the board to reconsider. The letter mentioned that the violations cited were because of some temporary underground utility construction;
• Committed $1.56 million for 2016 taxes, with the tax rate set at $17.55, a 5.69 percent increase over the previous year;
• Approved the sole bid of $9,867 for roadside mowing from Steve Swasey of Andover, who did the work last year;
• Approved spending about $1,000 to paint the interior of the Town Office, which will be done by a town employee;
• Asked Rainey to check with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection on the likelihood of raising the water level of Moose Pond Dam. Resident Arlene Kerr had discussed her request with other residents.
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