GREENWOOD – Fire Chief Raymond Seames has announced that he will not seek re-election when his term ends on Dec. 31, and town officials aren’t sure anyone else will want the job.
Seames will continue to serve as fire chief until elections are held on Jan. 4.
Seames has served the town of Greenwood for 42 years, first as road commissioner, then as fire chief.
There are currently 14 members of the town’s volunteer fire department, but Town Manager Kim Sparks said none have expressed interest in the chief’s position.
Sparks said in a telephone interview Tuesday that selectmen have a few ideas for the fire department should they be left without a chief in January, but they are “just ideas at this point.”
No action has been taken on any of the possibilities.
Those possibilities include creating a full-time salaried fire chief position. The fire chief is currently paid a stipend. Selectmen have considered advertising for a fire chief, rather than depending on a local person expressing interest. They have also discussed coordinating with the towns of West Paris and Woodstock.
As a last resort, the administrative duties of the fire chief would fall to Sparks, the town manager. She stressed, however, that this would only be on an interim basis until another plan is put into place.
Even if Greenwood were to enter into an agreement with West Paris, a fire chief would still have to be found. West Paris has been without a chief since its own top fire official, Mike Akers, moved to Bridgton this year. The town is currently relying on aid from the Paris Fire Department.
Paris Fire Chief Brad Frost told Paris selectmen last week that the town has agreed to respond to emergencies in West Paris until November.
Since agreeing to help earlier this month, the Paris Fire Department has responded to two calls in West Paris.
Frost is also helping the West Paris Fire Department with its administrative needs, reviewing policies and training needs.
“Hopefully they’ll find a chief right off who’ll come in and straighten them out,” Frost told selectmen. “It’s totally a disaster up there.”
According to West Paris Selectman Wayne Theofrastou, the town’s volunteer fire department has 16 members, but only two are available during the day. Doug Penley is currently serving as interim chief.
Greenwood selectmen plan to set a date for a workshop with the town’s fire department at their Sept. 6 meeting.
Sparks said they hope to “develop a game plan” for the department at that time. Whether that plan will involve the West Paris Fire Department is still uncertain.
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