BANGOR, Maine — Fire Chief Scott Lucas will finish his two-year career with the City of Bangor on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave, a city official announced Friday afternoon.
City Manager Cathy Conlow said in a prepared statement that Lucas, who submitted his resignation effective Dec. 3, coinciding with the end of his two-year employment contract with the city, won’t return to work.
Lucas has been on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave since Sept. 13. The reason for his being placed on leave has not been disclosed by the city or by Lucas.
“Lucas and I have agreed that it is in the best interest of the [fire] department and the city that he remains on leave until the end of his contract,” Conlow said in the statement Friday.
Conlow added she will not be commenting further, “as this is a personnel matter.”
A message emailed to Lucas on Friday seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Lucas still has in his possession a vehicle and equipment owned by the city, Conlow said Friday in response to a query from the Bangor Daily News. Lucas was seen Thursday driving the SUV the city provided to him upon his being hired in 2012.
“He drove the vehicle to a meeting with [city officials],” at Conlow’s office to discuss his status and pending departure from the city’s employment, Conlow said. “We asked him and he said he hasn’t been driving it [otherwise]. He said he had to jump-start the vehicle to drive to the meeting.”
Conlow said Lucas has not been turning in fuel or mileage expenses for the vehicle since he was placed on leave. Conlow said Lucas was not required to turn in the vehicle and his protective gear and cellphone when he was placed on leave because he is still employed by the city. Conlow said she expects Lucas to turn in the equipment next week.
The city has started its search for the next fire chief, according to Conlow.
“I am hopeful that we will have a new chief on board by the end of the year,” she said in the prepared statement.
The department’s four assistant chiefs are overseeing the day-to-day operations, Conlow said.
Lucas was hired in December 2012, after a 21-year career with the Westland Fire Department in Michigan, where he served as assistant fire chief. His salary was $81,754 when Bangor hired him to lead the 88-member fire department. The department’s total budget for the current fiscal year was about $8.3 million.
Lucas was selected for the Bangor job from an initial pool of 49 candidates and was one of five finalists. He replaced Jeff Cammack, who retired in February 2012 after serving 15 years as fire chief.
BDN Metro Editor Mike Dowd contributed to this report.
