NEW GLOUCESTER – Selectmen voted this week to change the fire chief’s position from part time to full time.

They also voted to authorize the town manager to advertise, interview and recommend a candidate to the board on Jan. 8, unless the town attorney advises that Chief Gary Sacco is considered an employee because he is paid.

If Sacco is considered an employee, the town manager can authorize naming him the full-time chief, subject to approval by the board.

Sacco, who lives in New Gloucester, said in a memo to Town Manager Rosemary Kulow that two part-time fire and rescue workers who shared one post were not able to continue in the same manner. Firefighter/EMT Jon Rioux accepted a post with Portland and will be leaving Dec. 15. Part-time worker Dan Mathieu’s medical problems have limited his weekday work hours.

Sacco recommended consideration to bring the fire chief’s post back to full time on Jan. 1. The annual salary of $48,500 could be drawn from the remaining part-time budget and the remaining stipend for the chief’s post.

Kulow said she believed no vacancy existed since Sacco as the paid fire chief would be able to take over the full-time slot on Jan. 1.

“We know that Gary is qualified for the job,” Selectmen Dale Maschino said. “This is a process issue only. Our responsibility is to see that the process is followed.”

After Fire Chief Bruce Tupper left the post in 2001, efforts to find a full-time fire chief were unsuccessful. The board created the post that Sacco has held since.

Selectmen plan to make the chief’s post full time in the next fiscal year and to continue to hire part-time or firefighter/EMT personnel to manage duties on weekends and other needed times.