ROCHESTER — People in the city continue to have mixed feelings about its police commission and the City Council plans to ask residents again to abolish the board during November’s elections.

Several residents and officials voiced their concerns to the council during a public hearing Tuesday night.

Greg Denobile said he believes the city should give the issue a rest, especially as residents have consistently supported the commission several times in the past decade.

“This is getting to the point of ridiculous,” Denobile said.

If approved, Amendment 2 would eliminate the three-member Police Commission, a board of elected officials, and place administrative control of the Police Department under the City Manager.

Lucien Levesque, a former city councilor and police commissioner, said he is “appalled” to see the issue return less than nine months after residents voted to retain the commission. He agreed it was “ridiculous” for the city to try and “take the politics out of the police department” by abolishing the commission.

Levesque argued that members of the council, who supervise the city manager, are politicians themselves.

“It’s still all politics,” Levesque said, adding this is an example of a few councilors “trying to get their way” and might force residents to vote against any of the proposed amendments to the City Charter.

Residents also will consider changes to the guidelines involving the Board of Assessors, the school board, merit raises and filling vacancies.

Although Police Commissioner Jim McManus, who previously served 28 years on the city council, supported abolishing the commission in the past, his perspective has changed since serving on the board that oversees police.

“It’s not broken and therefore it does not need to be abolished,” McManus said, adding he hopes the council will reconsider the amendment.

Resident Laura Jones said many people are concerned the city manager, who is overseeing all municipal departments, will not be as available or as responsive to the public.

Police Commissioner Dave Winship Jr., said residents voted against a charter amendment to abolish the commission in November.

“I think you need to listen to the people,” Winship said.

Resident Fred Leonard wondered how voters will decide, considering they must also vote on federal, state and county officials.

“I think for so many different reasons this is a mistake,” Leonard said, adding he suggested the city should create a charter commission.

Copies of the proposed charter amendments are available for inspection in the City Clerk’s Office at 31 Wakefield St., or online at the city’s website: http://www.rochesternh.net/.

If approved by voters at the polls, the amendments would take effect Jan. 1.

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John Quinn may be reached at jquinn@newstote.com.