ORONO, Maine — Bangor’s outgoing fire chief no longer plans to volunteer with the University of Maine’s club wrestling program, he stated Wednesday.
“I am ceasing to volunteer at [the] university, because of how I have been treated and characterized in the media, by [the university] and the BDN,” Scott Lucas said in an email to the university and the Bangor Daily News.
Lucas told the Bangor Daily News earlier this month that he would be working as an unpaid coach for the university’s National Collegiate Wrestling Association Division II club wrestling team. He made that statement soon after announcing that he would be resigning as fire chief when his two-year contract with the city expires on Dec. 3.
After that story was published in the Bangor Daily News, the club wrestling squad shared it on its Facebook page, saying, “We are proud and excited to welcome Coach Scott Lucas to the team!” At some point on Wednesday, the post was removed.
Lucas was placed on nondisciplinary paid leave, the city announced Tuesday. Neither city, fire nor police officials stated the reason Lucas was placed on leave.
Soon after Lucas was placed on leave, the university began fielding questions about his involvement with the club wrestling team and issued a statement Tuesday evening saying he had no coaching affiliation with the club.
In emails to the university and Bangor Daily News on Tuesday and Wednesday, Lucas took issue with the university’s claim that he had no official coaching affiliation with the team.
Emails provided to the Bangor Daily News indicate that Lucas had been in talks during the past year with the team’s coaches about uniform vendors and prices as well as the upcoming season.
University of Maine spokeswoman Margaret Nagle stated Wednesday that last year, Lucas was involved in organizational meetings for the club, attended a couple of practices and helped it make connections for uniform purchases.
“This year, with one of the volunteer coaches leaving, Scott was on a list of potential people to help out at practice,” Nagle said in an email. “Last month, he talked with one of the club advisors about having a role with the club this year. Beyond those informal discussions, Scott has not been involved in any meetings led by the organization that coordinates the UMaine recreation clubs, the New Balance Student Recreation Center.”
Don McCann, one of the coaches of the wrestling squad, referred all questions to Nagle when contacted on Wednesday, as per university policy.
A message sent to Lucas seeking more information about his job status and his decision to disassociate himself from the wrestling program Wednesday was not returned.