Skowhegan voters approve funding for two new police officers after heated debate

Skowhegan — Voters at the Town of Skowhegan’s annual town meeting on June 9 approved funding for two new police positions after more than an hour of public discussion and a successful amendment to the original request for three officers.

The original article (Article 5) asked the town to raise and appropriate $376,258 for three proposed police officers. After residents and elected members questioned the size and timing of the increase, an amendment to reduce the request to $251,000 for two officers passed by voice and counted standing vote (106 yes, 53 no). The amended article was then approved by the meeting.

The debate centered on whether the department needed three additional hires now and how those hires should be used. Chief Dave Austin defended the request, saying the department is operating at capacity and needs more hands to maintain service levels. “We are drowning right now. My officers are doing everything they can to provide you the best police protection we can give you, solving crimes. But we’re right here, right now. We’re treading water up to our necks,” Chief Austin said during his remarks.

Austin laid out the department’s priorities for the additional staff if they were approved: a detective to help with major crimes and warrants, a community resource officer to patrol downtown and trail areas, and a supervisory position to relieve command-staff workload. After the amendment to two officers passed, Austin said the department would hire “a new detective, and a new community police officer in the downtown area” and that doing so would help reopen public restrooms and relieve patrol workload.

Opponents argued the town could not afford the extra positions now and pushed for a smaller increase or staggered hires. Resident Randy expressed concern about approving salary figures while union negotiations were not complete and questioned why budgets were presented without specific wages. Harvey, another resident, urged caution and asked whether county or state resources could cover some responsibilities. Some speakers argued that more “boots on the road” patrols — rather than supervisory roles — would best address the problems residents described.

Budget materials shown earlier in the meeting noted the proposed three-officer figure was a high-end estimate (using veteran pay rates) and that a newly hired officer’s starting wage would be lower. Austin contrasted veteran and entry-level pay to explain the reduction: “There’s a big difference between a veteran officer who would be making, oh, probably $36.37 an hour to a new officer who’s making $24.50 an hour.”

The amendment was moved, discussed and counted. Moderator Ken Lexier counted standing voters on the amendment; the results were announced as 106 in favor and 53 opposed. The meeting then voted on the amended Article 5 and the motion carried; the chair declared the article approved.

What happens next: The town finance process will incorporate the approved $251,000 into the fiscal 2026 appropriations. Hiring will depend on internal staffing decisions, certified budgets and any outcomes from ongoing union negotiations that affect pay scales.

Votes and formal actions

- Article 5 (original): Motion to raise $376,258 for 3 new police officers — moved to the floor; (motion amended; original motion not adopted as written). - Amendment: Reduce Article 5 to $251,000 for 2 new police officers — amendment PASSED by standing/count (106 yes, 53 no). - Article 5 (amended): Raise and appropriate $251,000 for 2 new police officers — motion APPROVED (count not announced).

Ending

Town officials said the department will prioritize the detective and community resource officer posts if the town funds are available, and they reiterated that hiring will proceed within the constraints of negotiated wages and the department’s recruitment timeline. The town meeting moved on to other warrant articles after the vote.