SABATTUS — For the fourth time in five years, the town will begin looking for a new fire chief after H. Adam Thacker announced that he is moving on to another department.

Thacker, chief since July 2024, will officially resign Oct. 17.

Several sources have cited friction with the Sabattus Board of Selectmen as the reason for Thacker’s decision to leave the department. It was the same reason given in 2023 when popular Fire Chief Troy Cailler left the job after three years of battles with the board.

The town has also had trouble holding on to town managers and police chiefs, as well.

In December 2024, Erik Baker announced he was leaving after serving as police chief and town manager.

Earlier this year, the town hired Raquel Welch-Day as town manager after she had left the same position in Mexico. But the task of finding chiefs for police and fire departments has not proven so simple.

For months, police relied on a temporary chief, David Kurz, to run the department after a string of resignations, but Kurz left the department earlier in the year. His replacement, interim police Chief James Theriault, is on his way out.

After twice voting to keep its Police Department instead of turning over coverage to the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, the town is struggling to find a new police chief to run the force.

Missy Kelly, administrative assistant and police dispatcher of 26 years, is also leaving her position.

At the Fire Department, officials said former Turner Fire Chief Nick Merry will serve as interim chief of the Sabattus department until a permanent replacement can be found.

Sabattus firefighter Robert Gayton, who served as interim fire chief after Cailler’s departure in 2003, said with the department averaging 900 or more calls a year, getting and keeping and permanent chief is of vital importance.

“We’ve come a long way from when I started in 2004 and we ran 160 calls annually,” Gayton said. “We need everything we have, and then some.”

Welch-Day did not return messages with inquiries about the recent turnover. Richard Lacombe, chair of the Board of Selectmen, could not be reached for comment.