NEW GLOUCESTER – Fire Chief Bruce Tupper handed in his resignation last week, citing frustration with town officials over the new procedure for hiring someone for the job.

Tupper, 39, said he was hired by Raymond last week to serve as that town’s first operations chief in charge of fire and rescue services.

“This is going to be quite a challenge,” Tupper said.

Raymond relies on 50 volunteer and three paid employees. It provides ambulance transport service.

Tupper has been chief of New Gloucester for eight years.

His resignation is effective Dec. 4.

Formerly, volunteer members of the New Gloucester Fire Association, which began in 1928, annually elected officers by popular vote, subject to selectmen’s approval.

Voters last March adopted a fire/rescue ordinance that shifts oversight of the Fire Department to selectmen, who approve hiring the fire chief.

Tupper was a candidate for the post he already held.

Under the new ordinance the town manager conducts interviews and brings a preferred candidate to selectmen to approve

“The reason for my accepting employment elsewhere is (because of) the ordinance and hiring process, which has put the department’s morale at the lowest state I have ever seen,” Tupper said in his letter of resignation to Town Manager Rosemary Kulow.

“The torment of not knowing if I will be gainfully employed because this process, which has repeatedly extended and drawn out for far too long, has had many adverse and psychological effects on my family life and relationship.

“The selectmen, specifically Steve Libby and Stephanie Bryan, have not supported my efforts, and this has been made obvious by their actions at selectmen meetings. You do not respect someone when you are yelling at or talking condescendingly to them while in a professional capacity.

“The town is so micromanaged that the chief can not discipline a department member without having a selectman speak in public about it, plainly stating their discontent with the decision.”

Libby said, “Bruce worked hard for the town and Fire Department, and I thank him for eight years of service.”

“I was certainly disappointed that Bruce won’t be working for me,” Kulow said. “I am happy he found a new position.”

A search committee was re-established last week by Kulow. Applications for chief must be filed by Dec. 19 and interviews will be held in early January.

Volunteers continue to serve without remuneration and their appointments were extended by selectmen. New Gloucester relies on a first responder rescue unit and calls United Ambulance for transportation.

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