OTISFIELD – Selectmen decided not to reappoint the former code enforcement officer and made a new appointment during their meeting Wednesday.

Richard St. John, the current code enforcement officer for Bethel and Newry, will start work in Otisfield on Dec. 19.

Board chairman Mark Cyr said the town was fortunate to hire St. John because of his experience. St. John is a certified code enforcement officer, municipal assessor and plumber, Cyr said.

The board has also decided to make the code enforcement officer’s job a full-time position. Cyr said the change was made after looking at the needs of the community.

“We feel we can easily justify a full-time position,” Cyr said.

The code enforcement officer position became vacant after the board decided not to reappoint Zak Horton, who had been the town’s part-time code enforcement officer for one year. Cyr offered no comment except that it was “time for a change.”

Former selectmen Lenny Adler spoke up at Wednesday’s meeting, commending the board for not reappointing Horton.

Adler said that Horton didn’t return phone calls, didn’t maintain his office hours and people were “afraid of him,” to the point where they wouldn’t work for the town with him around.

“This is almost an apology because I made the motion to appoint Zak,” Adler said during the meeting.

Cyr said he could not comment on these remarks.

Planning Board chairman Rick Micklon has served as the interim code enforcement officer since Nov. 20, and he has done 12 inspections and issued six building permits.

St. John said he took the Otisfield job because it was closer to his home in Harrison, where he has been a lifelong resident.

“I look forward to serving the taxpayers of Otisfield,” St. John said.