BANGOR, Maine — Bangor officials hope to select the city’s new fire chief by the New Year.
Bob Farrar, assistant city manager, said the city received and reviewed five applications from department personnel and 21 from external candidates. All five internal applicants have been interviewed by city officials. The application deadlines have passed.
“We are currently in the process of narrowing down the list of external applicants to invite for interviews,” Farrar said. “Our plan is to conduct interviews for finalists prior to Christmas.”
The selected candidate, after agreeing to take the position, needs to be confirmed by the City Council during a regular meeting.
Outgoing Bangor Fire Chief Scott Lucas’ resignation becomes official Dec. 3, the day his two-year contract with the city expires.
Lucas has been on nondisciplinary paid administrative leave since Sept. 13. Neither the city nor Lucas would divulge the reason for the leave. Bangor officials have only termed it a “personnel matter” with the soon-to-be-former chief.
Lucas was hired in late 2012, coming off a lengthy career with the Westland, Michigan, Fire Department. He was picked from a field of 49 applicants.
City Manager Cathy Conlow said late last week that Lucas has “returned everything that the Fire Department told me was in his possession,” including a city-owned SUV he was given access to when he was hired in 2012.
Lucas was allowed to keep that and a few other items owned by the city while he was on leave because he was still employed.
Until the next chief is confirmed by the council, Bangor’s four assistant fire chiefs are overseeing the day-to-day operations of the department.
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter @nmccrea213.