NEW GLOUCESTER – Selectmen agreed Monday to begin searching for full-time fire chief/public safety employee whose duties will begin July 1.
Last month voters adopted a Fire and Rescue Ordinance that restructures the New Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department that was formed in 1928. The new ordinance abolishes the Fire Department trustees who had oversight over the volunteer service and eliminates annual voting for officers by volunteer members.
The change gives the town manager and new fire chief authority to name officers for the department based on qualifications. The full-time fire chief is an employee of the town supervised by the town manager. Under the new ordinance, compensation for volunteers can be initiated in the future once funds are allocated.
Town Manager William Cooper refused to chair the committee , which consists of a selectman, a former trustee, a nearby town manager and a nearby fire chief.
Cooper said the new ordinance specifies that the town manager conduct interviews and bring a candidate to selectmen for approval.
However, two weeks ago, the board overruled Cooper with a 3-1 vote and named Selectman Stephanie Bryan to serve.
However, Bryan stepped down Monday citing negative phone calls and vandalism at her home this week. “There are people out there who feel I won’t be objective. I’ve tried to do what I can and I’m disappointed.”
She formerly participated in reviews of current Fire Chief Bruce Tupper’s evaluations.
And, Cooper refused to chair the committee that now includes Selectman Kevin Sullivan, who replaced Bryan by a 3-0 vote of the board.
Cooper said, “It is inappropriate; this committee has been formed by selectmen. It’s not a committee of the town manager, it’s not appropriate for the town manager to sit on a committee when his boss is there.”
Cooper refused to name a nearby town manager, nearby fire chief or fire trustee to serve on the committee.
In other business, a group of residents protested “negative letters” dealing with school funding issues and town budget spending practices from Cooper and published for several weeks in the New Gloucester News.
“After years of castigating anyone who dared to disagree with his opinions, our town manger, Mr. William Cooper, has finally gone too far as evidenced by his letters in the April 5 edition of the New Gloucester News,” said Beth Sutherland.
“How dare he question the patriotism of someone who asks him to tone down the negativity of his written opinions. How dare he claim that people exercising their First Amendment Rights to speak freely is cheapening their sacrifice of our young men and women fighting in Iraq.
“If Mr. Cooper does not take the high road and offer his resignation, then I ask the Board of Selectmen to find a more suitable person to be responsive to the citizens of New Gloucester,” Sutherland said.
Keith Larson, an eight year resident of New Gloucester, said, “The town manager attacks the schools annually. I have not heard one positive thing. It is not good for the morale of students or staff.”
“I hope the Board of Selectmen can look at this in a fair way and remedy this with the town manger. It’s out of control,” said Jan Wilcox.
The board held an executive session with Cooper at the end of the meeting.
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