HOWLAND, Maine — Moments after selectmen hired former Lincoln Town Manager William Lawrence to oversee Howland’s government, fire chief Phil Dawson resigned in protest, officials said Wednesday.
When the board voted 4-1 at a meeting Monday to hire Lawrence, Dawson immediately tendered his resignation, saying he was “adamantly opposed” to the hiring “because of past dealings [with Lawrence],” board Chairman Glenn Brawn said Wednesday.
The two clashed when they served together in Lincoln, but Dawson said his resignation also resulted from his “frustration with this whole situation and basically on principle.”
Selectmen on Friday “had advised town employees of their pending decision [to hire Lawrence] and the response I have heard of is largely negative. But despite that, the board has continued to move forward with the hiring process,” Dawson said Wednesday. “Why ask the question if you are going to go do what you are going to do anyway?”
“They [selectmen] are not listening to the employees, and there is plenty of opposition from the employees” against Lawrence’s hiring, Dawson added. “I am concerned that his track record doesn’t suggest that he is the best person that they could have found. His longevity anywhere in a job is questionable.”
A police officer for more than 20 years, Lawrence has about three years of experience as a town manager and presently works as manager of White Springs, Florida, he said Wednesday.
Lawrence impressed selectmen despite his lack of experience, Brawn said.
“The board is not hiring Bill Lawrence on whether town employees like or dislike him. He is being hired based on the merits of his ability,” Brawn said.
The conflict between Dawson and Lawrence occurred in May 2013, when Lawrence was Lincoln’s interim manager and Dawson resigned as Lincoln’s fire chief. Lawrence had placed Dawson on administrative leave with pay the day before to investigate a potential conflict of interest, which Dawson denied.
The conflict claim arose after Lincoln and East Millinocket fire departments had agreed to start an ambulance service, replacing Penobscot Valley Hospital’s service. Lincoln officials had learned Dawson, who served as Howland’s fire chief at the same time he held the Lincoln chief’s position, was negotiating with Millinocket fire officials possibly on Lincoln town time. Lincoln officials hoped Howland would join the communities being served by its new ambulance service.
Dawson said he was negotiating ambulance service with Millinocket because Howland had no coverage.
Lawrence never finished his ethics investigation because of Dawson’s resignation. Lawrence, who left Lincoln in July 2014 to take his present job, said he has no animosity toward Dawson.
“He has a clean state,” Lawrence said of Dawson.
Selectmen haven’t accepted Dawson’s resignation. Brawn said Lawrence will serve a six-month probationary period before his salary will increase from $56,000 to $57,500 and his contract will be extended for three years. Selectman Will Lloyd said he voted against hiring Lawrence because he felt that the job search should have been more extensive.
Selectmen will discuss Dawson’s resignation when they meet May 25. In the meantime, Brawn said, interim Town Manager Peggy Daigle will see whether Dawson will retract his resignation letter.
The 59-year-old Dawson said he is reconsidering because many town firefighters and several residents have urged him to stay on. He has served as fire chief, earning a $3,800 stipend in that position, for 19 of his 46 years as a member of the largely volunteer department.
Brawn said whether to resign is “a personal choice for Phil, and I will accept his choice whatever it will be.”