Town and Village of Lewiston to form committee to redo police contract

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

At a meeting Tuesday, elected leaders from the Town and Village of Lewiston pledged to work together toward the creation of a new contract that would stipulate how services rendered by the Lewiston Police Department are utilized by the two municipalities.

Right now, the two sides are working off a 1995 contract that has been modified several times, but not formally updated in its entirety.

“There has been various resolutions over the years from joint meetings, but the agreement itself has never really been rescinded, nor has it ever actually, contractually, been amended,” Village law counsel Joseph Leone said. “It needs to be.”

A proposed agreement was submitted in 2002, but never signed.

Supervisor Steve Broderick suggested forming a committee to iron out the details. He recommended two members from the Village Board, plus law counsel, and then two members from the Town Council, and its attorney.

The Village Board voted to enter into this partnership, and will be represented by trustees Nick Conde and Tina Coppins, plus Leone. The Town Board will vote on a similar measure at a meeting Monday, likely appointing Broderick, Councilman John Jacoby, and attorney Alphonso Marra Bax. LPD Chief Frank Previte would also be invited to join the working group.

Among the items compelling the two sides to formulate a new deal is that the 1995 edition calls for a police commission, which no longer exists; and then there are questions regarding insurance and expenses.

Moreover, “Ninety percent of this contract is not followed,” Broderick said.

Leone explained the divergent parts are the result of resolutions passed at joint meetings.

Broderick said, “We need a new agreement, and an understanding, because you can’t follow one part of it and not the rest.”

Leone said, “It’s too significant an issue to not have a proper contract.”

Moving forward, the Village of Lewiston is seeking a greater LPD presence, by means of a police car that would more regularly travel residential streets. It also wants indemnification and hold harmless protection, regarding any police activity, via the town’s insurance policy.

 The Town of Lewiston, meanwhile, is desirous of an expense structure similar to the original agreement’s 66%-34% split. Broderick said the village is now paying less than 12%.

“That’s something that we need to negotiate,” Broderick said.

Mayor Anne Welch said, “My feeling on it is that the town has basically taken over the police department – all the hiring, the firing, the union, equipment – everything, which I’m fine with. It’s been done that way and it’s run smooth. I don’t have a problem with that.”

Leone crafted what he called a “bare-bones” proposed agreement in 2023 as a starting point – and “to make it as simple and straightforward as possible.”

“It’s not written in stone; it’s a proposal – one of several that I’ve made over the years, to try to come to grips with this issue,” Leone said.

Bax said that, if and when the two sides come to a working agreement, a contract can be drawn up in a short period of time.

If no consensus is reached, Broderick said the town would consider hiring a third-party mediator.

“From my perspective, looking at it from village’s point of view, I don't think that this issue should be kicked down the road very far,” Leone said.