Milo chief takes post in Brownville

BROWNVILLE – Todd Lyford, who served as Milo’s police chief for 15 years, has turned in that town’s badge in exchange for a similar one from Brownville.

Lyford re-signed from his Milo job for the Brownville position for better pay and benefits, but it was the small-town politics that played a role in his decision, he said Monday. He declined to elaborate further.

For the past two years, Lyford served as both Milo and Brownville’s police chief in a shared collaborative effort that caught the attention of other communities. That relationship was severed recently when Milo opted out of the arrangement after selectmen received complaints about the conduct of a Brownville officer.

Lyford said last month that he never was told there was a problem nor was he told that the shared police chief arrangement was in line for termination.

Milo Town Manager Jane Jones said Monday that she and the selectmen appreciated Lyford’s dedication and were grateful for his service.

“We respect him,” she said.

Although the board has not formally accepted Lyford’s resignation, the selectmen were notified and agreed to waive the two-week notice he gave, Jones said. “We wanted the break to be clean, swift and as painless as we can make it.”

“We are entering the rebuilding stage,” Jones said of the police force.

Meanwhile, Lyford said he is looking forward to his career change, even if it means the same work in a different office in a neighboring town.

“I’m excited to work in a new town and appreciate the support of the town manager and selectmen,” he said. His new duties will start on Aug. 4.

Lyford will receive $15.50 per hour for his services in Brownville and he will receive health insurance and some retirement benefits that he did not receive before. The latter is a dollar-for-dollar match up to 3 percent of the employee’s gross income.