ISLAND POND — The ghost of a constable past roamed the bleachers at the Brighton Town Meeting Monday night as voters pressed selectmen about police protection and anticipated revenues.
The town recognized his 25 years of dedicated service by publishing a photograph in its warning of Constable Theodore Miller sitting in his cruiser.
Voters last year sent the controversial ticket-writing, revenue-raising constable packing, but the town may not have completely adjusted to his departure.
“How realistic is your police revenue?” asked Charlie Pronto, a familiar figure who moved to town after serving as Newport City’s mayor.
Selectmen projected police revenues at $25,000 in their 2009 budget. But Mr. Pronto thought the projection was “absolutely ridiculous” in light of the fact that only ten traffic tickets had been written since Constable Miller left town.
Michael Bresette, who heads the three-member select board, conceded that Mr. Pronto may have a valid point. Given the change in police personnel and the attending uncertainty, he agreed that the $25,000 projection might be inflated.
More would be known in another year, he said.
Turnout at the annual meeting Monday night was light, and little in the warning animated or excited those who braved a stormy night to attend. Both the selectmen’s budget and the school board’s budget passed without any serious opposition.
As far as the town’s elementary school was concerned, the most pressing question faced by directors was how long the school will be able to maintain its present staff as student enrollment continues to dwindle.
“At some point, my position will only be a half-time position, and I’m aware of that,” noted the school’s principal, Phyllis Perkins.
Board Chairman Charla Nadeau said that at roughly $1.8-million, the new budget represented about a 1 percent increase over the current year’s spending. She also noted that the school’s staff will be reduced by one classroom teacher, along with reductions of other half-time positions.
Some in the crowd wanted to know if the board had looked into consolidating schools with surrounding town. Ms. Nadeau said the board had explored consolidation, but the demographics of the area have proven difficult to overcome.
So has finding a political will.
“It’s not an easy job,” said Ms. Nadeau. “No one is running against any board member this year.”
There were no contests for town officers either, in an election carried out Tuesday by Australian ballot. The only issue that appeared to resonate with the voters Monday was what to do about police services in the post-Miller era.
Presently, as the result of authorization given last year by the voters to the selectmen, the town has hired Jeff Noyes as its police chief. However, the fact that he lives in Canaan, where he is also the chief of police, didn’t sit well with some voters.
Out of a budget of roughly $1.1-million, the selectmen propose to spend $38,199 for police protection.
But that proposal sounded high to Paul Rodondi, and he wanted to know if the selectmen had looked into the possibility of signing a contract with the Essex County Sheriff’s Department.
“Yes, we have investigated that,” answered Mr. Bresette. “And we thought it would be in our best interest to have our own police department.”
That was fine with Craig Goulet, but why not hire someone from town?
Presently, said Mr. Bresette, Chief Noyes gives the town 30 hours a week, and the town has two part-time officers to fill in the difference. Besides, he added, a local citizen who expressed an interest in the job has had a change of heart.
Mr. Goulet, however, still clung to his belief that Canaan was a long ways off if someone needed a policeman.
“Now, who do we call?” he asked.
Constable Miller kept a high — some might say conspicuous — profile by parking his cruiser in the center of town. And on Monday, at least one voter expressed concern that a visible police profile might have left the town with the constable.
“I don’t think the voters voted for no visibility whatsoever,” said Mr. Pronto, who complained that he has only seen the new chief twice, and out of those sightings, one was in a parade.
Concerns over police response time were not shared by everyone. Joyce Gervais told the meeting that whenever a police officer was needed at school, Chief Noyes responded.
And Island Pond resident Nicholas Rivers, a Newport police officer who works part time for Brighton, said he had made arrangements with the chief to answer calls seeking immediate attention.
The debate ended when a question, whether Chief Noyes took the town’s police cruiser home, was answered in the negative by Mr. Bresette.
At the polls Tuesday, Gerald Goupee was re-elected to a three-year term as selectman. Of the five-member Brighton School Board, three incumbents were elected: Charla Nadeau, three years; Rachel Garfield, two years; and Nicholas Rivers, one year.
