New Dover-Foxcroft Police patch design finalized

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Thanks to the time and talents of five student artists, the Dover-Foxcroft Police Department has a new patch as the design was unveiled during a May 30 selectmen’s meeting.

“We have a new patch design, with all of the concepts that appear in the patch design from the submittals,” Town Manager Jack Clukey said. “I think the graphic designer knocked it out of the park.”

As a way to involve younger members of the community, Police Chief Ryan Reardon invited high school and middle school students to design a new department emblem. Fifty submissions came in and five finalists were chosen via a vote conducted with the artwork on display in the lobby of the Center Theatre.

The top five vote-getters were Foxcroft Academy freshman Maranda Poulin, who received 226 votes; SeDoMoCha eighth-grader Grace Carlson, 166 votes; SeDoMoCha seventh-grader Justice Batchelder, 134 votes; SeDoMoCha eighth-grader Ruby Rideout, 115 votes; and SeDoMoCha sixth-grader Halle Page, 101 votes.

The five girls each gave a presentation to the selectmen at the Feb. 26 meeting, explaining how they determined their design, significance for the town, historical information and more.

The consensus of the selectmen’s protection committee was that every design had a unique quality that should be included. Instead of choosing one work of art over the other four, elements from each were combined into one new patch for the police department. The students’ designs were used by Brian Gilbert Designs of Cumberland, which donated staff time for the process, to design the finalized emblem.

“I think the final design came out perfectly, it involved all the concepts,” Reardon said. The patch includes The Mill, Piscataquis River, a soaring eagle and the American flag.

“I showed the patch to (SeDoMoCha Middle School art teacher Bobbi Tardif who worked with the students) Friday at the play and she was aghast,” Reardon said about Tardif’s reaction to how well how the finished product looks.

“I’m hoping to role the patch out at the Whoopie Pie Festival,” Reardon said.

“They really did a good job, those kids put in their heart and soul,” he added.

Town officials had previously said each of the five students will receive $50 for their contributions to the new police patch.

In other business, the selectmen signed the warrant for the RSU 68 budget validation referendum on Tuesday, June 12. The evening before an approximate $11.56 million 2018-19 school budget was approved at the annual district budget meeting.

Dover-Foxcroft residents will vote on the school budget, municipal spending plan, selectmen’s and school board seats and other town positions. More information on the June 12 ballot can be found at www.dover-foxcroft.org.

In his report, Clukey said four decorative lights have been set up on East Main Street from the Thompson Free Library and heading into town as part of a demonstration. He said these are the same fixture models that will be installed throughout the downtown area.

“It really reduced the light pollution from the version we have now,” Reardon said, saying he noticed the change during a recent evening.

Clukey said the selectmen should have an investment grade audit concerning town lights in July. “Hopefully we will get on this and done in the current calendar year,” he said.

“I just wanted to say the folks that do the Memorial Day parade do such as great job and I just appreciate the tradition,” Select Vice Chair Cindy Freeman Cyr said.

Clukey added that the Foxcroft Academy band took part in the procession again in 2018, and he said the band always does a great job.

The new Dover-Foxcroft
Police patch