Contract with Hancock County Sheriff’s Office fails by narrow margin, while voters pass all nonprofit requests except for $7,500 for Opera House

March 3, 2026

By Jessica Hardy

Voters at Stonington’s town meeting rejected a proposal to continue a contract with the Hancock County Sheriff's Office, ending the town’s law enforcement agreement after concerns over cost and deputy coverage.

The contract drew the longest discussion of the meeting, with residents and select board members debating response time, availability and cost of maintaining the town's policing contract.

At the annual gathering of voters held March 2, residents of Stonington voted on 57 articles, including the municipal budget, third-party requests, and town position elections. Lawrence “Skip” Greenlaw moderated the meeting.

“Please remember that we can all disagree more, but we can’t be disagreeable,” Greenlaw said as the meeting commenced.

Residents voted swiftly on articles presented by Greenlaw with recommendation from the Town’s select board until discussion of the contract with the sheriff’s office, with Lt. Dakota Dupuis presenting the article to the meeting and answering questions.

“Stonington is well aware, I’m sure, [it] faces some unique challenges in how a contract with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office directly benefits this community,” Dupuis said. “It’s simple geography. Stonington faces another natural disadvantage.”

Dupuis said Stonington’s remote coastal community at the end of Route 15 creates longer response times, with deputies averaging 40 minutes to reach calls. The sheriff’s office covers three “slots” or coverage areas in Hancock County. Stonington is located in “Slot 1,” which consists of nine other towns on the Blue Hill Peninsula.

Residents questioned whether the town was receiving adequate duty coverage for the cost of $89,000, noting that other communities appeared to receive more consistent service. Sheriff Scott Kane spoke of the struggles the department has faced, from retired K9 units to a lack of deputies.

***Approximately 50 voters turned out for Stonington’s town meeting. Photo by Jessica Hardy.***

“You feel like you’re paying for something twice. And it’s tough. But we don’t have any control over that,” Kane said, referring to Stonington voters who also pay county taxes.

Voters discussed the issue for roughly 25 minutes, after which a resident asked for a written vote due to the controversial topic. The budget measure failed by a narrow margin, 25-27. The contract will not continue, although voters did approve $15,000 to pay for services rendered in January and February.

In an open letter to the community the following day, Stonington select board member Travis Fifield reassured residents that police services would still be available.

“[W]e want to assure everyone that police protection is, and always was, available—even without the contract. As a taxpayer of Hancock County, your county tax dollars have always been paying for police protection, and an officer will respond if called,” Fifield wrote.

Fifield said residents in need of police assistance can call 911. He also noted that the Maine State Police expects to increase its patrols on the Island and “should be a reassuring visible police presence in addition to the standard patrols by the sheriff’s office.” Fifield’s full letter is found in the opinion section of The Rising Tide.

Following discussion of the sheriff’s contract, the 50 or so voters in attendance continued through the warrants, including funding renovations to the town's fire station estimated at $120,000, although residents questioned the cost.

“It gives us time,” said Stonington fire chief Steve Rittenmeyer. “The current plan is to try and get as much life out of this station while also doing some work to find a location for a new station.”

In local elections, Donna Brewer and John Robbins were reelected to new terms on the select board. They were unopposed. Chelsea Torrey was reelected to the Deer Isle-Stonington Consolidated School District School Board.

Voters were also asked if they wanted to support funding from third-party requests from local nonprofit organizations. The majority passed, although a request from the Stonington Opera House was rejected. Some town officials had previously questioned why nonprofits were receiving third-party requests while also avoiding full property taxes.

Votes for third-party requests are as follows:

$13,000 approved for the Island Community Center, 89-19.
$7,500 rejected for the Opera House, 43- 65
$3,500 approved for the Eastern Area on Aging, 79-25
$12,600 approved for Healthy Island Project, 73-35
$1,400 approved for Women, Infant, and Children Nutrition Program, 77-28
$1,000 approved for Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County, 88-18
$25,000 approved the Stonington Public Library, 61-46
$750 approved the American Red Cross, 70-37
$2,500 approved for Project Launch, 73-31
$800 approved for Downeast Transportation, 93-15
$6,000 approved for Island Workforce Housing, 69-38
$422 approved Aroostook Community Partners, 60-46
$5,000 approved for the Opiate Free Partnership, 57-47

The meeting concluded after several hours of discussion on public safety, infrastructure and community funding, with voters approving 56 of the 57 warrant articles presented at the annual town meeting.

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