LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen voted unanimously Monday to uphold the town manager’s decision to terminate firefighter Lt. Corey Leclerc as of June 22.

Leclerc of Livermore Falls had appealed Town Manager Kristal Flagg’s decision and requested a hearing before the board, Flagg said Tuesday. A hearing was set in July but Leclerc could not make it, she said.

A 75-minute hearing in executive session took place Sept. 19 with three members of the  Board of Selectmen, Leclerc, fire Chief Gerry Pineau, Flagg, and the board’s legal counsel Patricia M. Dunn in attendance, according to a letter sent to Leclerc outlining the board’s decision and signed by Chairman William Demaray.

Leclerc declined comment on the issue on Tuesday when contacted.

According to a letter, Flagg explained during the hearing that from February to June 2011, she received several complaints about the operation of a red pickup truck.

“The complainants stated that the truck had the lettering ‘Livermore Falls Fire Department’ on it and they thought it was a town truck,” the letter states. “The town manager verified that the town did not own a red pickup truck but was unable to identify who the truck belonged to.”

In June, Flagg received a call from an “individual who complained that a red truck with Livermore Falls Fire Department lettering had almost run him off the road. That individual told the the town manager that the truck had a firefighter plate and was able to provide the plate number. The town manager asked the Police Department to run the plate number and learned that the vehicle was registered to you,” Demaray wrote to Leclerc.

At the time of the incident Leclerc was on probation as a firefighter with the town due to previous issues, Demaray wrote.

“After reviewing the driving complaint, your record with the town and your probationary status, the town manager made the decision to terminate your employment with the Fire Department,” the letter states.

“At the hearing before the Board of Selectmen, you (Leclerc) stated that there was no proof that your truck had been the vehicle involved in all the complaints and that the complainants were not known,” Demaray wrote.

“While the board agrees that there is not sufficient evidence to support a finding that your truck was involved in all of the complaints that the town received, the board does find that there is sufficient evidence to find your truck was the vehicle complained of in the incident where your plate number was identified,” he wrote.

“After reviewing this incident, your record with the Fire Department and your status as probationary employee, the board affirms the decision of the town manager to terminate your employment with the Fire Department,” Demaray wrote.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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