New Cumberland County charter unveiled

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A proposal for Cumberland County's first ever charter was unveiled Thursday.

Commission members who drafted the proposal say it will open the door for the county to provide better services to it's cities and towns, while saving them money. They say the charter would allow the county to secure federal grants for it's cities and towns, it would give communities more bang for the buck under the county's buying power and it would offer communities more regional services to save them money.

Services such as the regional dispatch center that several county communities now use.

"The commission believes this charter will improve services and reduce the cost of delivering those services to the taxpayer"' said Charter Commission Chairman Claude Morgan.

Right now the state legislature mandates how counties operate. Attempts to create a county charter have failed twice before. Voters will cast their ballots on this latest version in November.