PARIS — Following a 30-year career with the Gorham Police Department, Dana Thompson is joining the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office to fill the new position of major.

The Oxford County Commission made the appointment at Thursday morning’s workshop.

Sheriff Christopher Wainwright said Thompson was highly recommended by an independent committee of area police chiefs and law enforcement officers who reviewed the applications.

Thompson began his career as a reserve police officer for Westbrook in 1989. He served nearly two years as an officer for the Lisbon Police Department from 1992-1994 before joining the Gorham Police Department, where he worked his way up the ranks for the past 30 years. He was most recently the department’s patrol commander and lieutenant, a position he has held since 2020.

In other business Thursday, commissioners approved two paving projects in the unorganized territories for roads damaged by flooding last December. Parts of the pavement washed away during the storms as well as the gravel in sections of the shoulder. Commissioners approved spending up to $475,000 for the two projects.

Tony Carter, who is supervisor of the Oxford County Regional Airport in Oxford and the unorganized territories, expects the Federal Emergency Management Agency to eventually reimburse the county for the cost.

Carter also received permission to apply for a stream-crossing grant to replace a culvert and repair Milton Road in Milton Township. He said the work would likely not begin until 2025 because it takes roughly six months to construct a box culvert.

The county may have to start considering marijuana businesses in the townships, according to guidelines drawn up by the Land Use Planning Commission and presented to the board Thursday by Carter. The state commission has adopted land-use standards and guidelines for where these establishments can be located in the townships. County commissioners, working with the state commission, would need to approve each establishment.

Commissioners accepted the resignation of dispatch supervisor Terri Littlehale, who worked for the county for 27 years.

The county held five executive sessions during Thursday’s workshop. They met with attorney Grady Burns of the law firm Skelton Taintor & Abbott of Lewiston for 40 minutes at the start of the meeting. Burns has worked with Amy Dieterich on the commissioners’ attempt to dismiss Wainwright.

The other sessions dealt with the potential hiring of a county administrator, a grievance, union contract negotiations and a personnel matter.