Residents urge clearer committee rules and ask whether city will train police on LD1971; council says chief handles training

Two residents used the public comment period at an Eastport City Council meeting to press the council on how it handles citizen committees and officer training under a new state law.

"There was no valid reason to dissolve the housing committee … volunteers were dismissed with no notice," said Lori Stone, who identified herself during public comment and said she served on the disability, parks and housing committees. Stone urged the council to adopt a formal procedure for dissolving committees so volunteers are given notice and the opportunity to respond. The chair apologized that members felt dismissed and the council said it would examine committee policy and the dissolution process.

Another commenter, who gave a single name as Valvatine, said the committees had active minutes and records and pressed whether the city will provide staff training on LD1971, a law referenced in the meeting that takes effect in July and constrains cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. "Is the city going to provide staff training on LD1971?" the commenter asked. The city manager and council clarified that officer training is the responsibility of the police chief and the criminal justice academy; the manager said the city can support the chief’s efforts but does not mandate the specific training curriculum.

Council members also discussed how members learn of committee changes; one councilor noted that a council liaison had reported no quorum for a committee, while residents said they maintained active meetings and distributed agendas and records. The council accepted the citizens’ concerns and said it would address committee-policy procedures.

The council did not take formal action on committee structure during the meeting but recorded the public comments for follow-up.