Vinalhaven residents vote to rehire Knox County Sheriff’s Office
VINALHAVEN — Residents voted Wednesday to spend $150,000 to rehire law enforcement to cover the island.
Town manager Andrew Dorr said the vote reversed a decision made at the July annual town meeting, when residents shot down a $125,000 contract with Knox County Sheriff’s Office over ineffective coverage.
A month earlier, a local fisherman was killed and the couple involved were not charged. They said they killed 28-year-old Roger Feltis in self defense.
His family is asking for the case to be reviewed by the attorney general with the help of state Rep. Jeff Evangelos.
“The last couple of years it just has been inconsistencies … then I think with what happened to Roger, it was kind of the breaking point, in my opinion,” said Karen Doughty of Vinalhaven, mother of Feltis’ girlfriend.
Dorr said in an email the vote pays the Knox County and other associated contracts through the rest of this fiscal year. He added, the board of selectmen will need to make a decision on who or how law enforcement coverage will be provided next year.
“The [board] has not signed anything yet and are looking to make a final decision in the coming weeks that will provide the best level of service to the community,” the town manager said.
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