WEST PARIS – Tri-Town Rescue Chief Norman St. Pierre said Wednesday that he expects to be unemployed by the end of the week.

“I hear I’m getting fired,” said the man who was elected chief eight years ago but has worked for the ambulance service for the past 10 years.

Rumors have been swirling all day that the chief would be replaced by its Board of Directors at Thursday night’s staff meeting.

St. Pierre said the action is retaliatory and that he does not intend to go down without a fight. He said he has information, and at least some members of the board are aware of it, that there has been a misappropriation of funds by a board member. St. Pierre said he will turn the information over to the state under the Whistleblowers Protection Act.

According to St. Pierre, who also serves as fire chief in West Paris, he is being fired in part because he has accused board Chairman Dorene Wilbur, chairman of the board and president of the auxiliary, of using the $4,000 raised to buy rescue equipment to hire a lawyer to redraft the service regulations.

Although Wilbur could not be reached for comment, the board’s attorney Kenneth Albert of Lewiston said he is not aware of any misappropriation of funds.

“Sounds like a disgruntled employee or the chief himself. It appears to be self-indulgent,” Albert said of the accusation.

St. Pierre confirmed that an executive session of the board was held Tuesday night, but he would not divulge what took place.

“I can’t comment on that. Last night’s meeting was in executive session. I don’t have the authority to comment on it,” Albert said.

Because the service is a private, nonprofit business, the meetings are not open to the public nor are any minutes available to the public, he said.

Albert also said he would not confirm whether an announcement would be made at Thursday night’s staff meeting that the chief would be replaced, but he did say if any action takes place he would issue a public statement Thursday night.

St. Pierre claims the employees no longer have representation because the previous representative quit and a new representative has not been allowed to sit on the board.

Several years ago, Tri-Town Rescue revised its old bylaws to invite representation from each of the towns to sit on the board of directors and have input into the service’s financial management.

Tri-Town Rescue’s budget comes from building and subsidies. The rescue service is represented on the board by the towns of West Paris, Greenwood, Sumner, Woodstock and Paris.

St. Pierre called the alleged action “very sneaky” and said he was not invited to any meeting to discuss the issue. He will not be able to attend the staff meeting Thursday night, he said, because he is attending college classes in Augusta.

“I guess I’ll have to find another job. I’m still fire chief in West Paris,” he said.