Bangor Daily News
APPLETON, Maine — Appleton Fire Chief David Stone said selectmen’s refusal last week to reimburse him $34 for ink cartridges was the final straw.
Stone informed the board at its Jan. 6 meeting that he would resign. Stone said Monday that his resignation would be effective at the end of the day after he meets and informs the firefighters at a department meeting.
“I was being micromanaged to death,” Stone said.
Stone has been with the Appleton Fire Department for 28 years and its chief for the past 20 years.
The chief said selectmen have been insisting on purchase orders and invoices on all items that are bought, regardless of cost. The final straw came, he said, when he submitted a reimbursement request for two ink cartridges for the printer at the fire station.
Stone said he used his own credit card for the online purchase. He said selectmen demanded that an invoice be provided, but he replied that he wasn’t planning on turning over his credit card statement to the board.
Board Chairman Donald Burke declined comment when contacted Monday and referred questions to the written minutes of last week’s meeting.
The minutes state that Stone requested the reimbursement for the cartridges that were paid for through his business Stone’s Auto. The chief told the board he was not able to provide an invoice and when told he would not be reimbursed, he became agitated and tossed a balled up piece of paper at one of the selectmen and announced his resignation.
The chief said Monday that the board also has imposed needless policies such as requiring all vendors for the Appleton Fire Department to have workers’ compensation insurance and liability insurance.
“They’re losing a lot,” Stone said, referring to his departure. “I don’t think they know all the things I do.”
The department has an annual budget of about $35,000. In his message last year in the town report, Stone said the department needed more members as the department staff was aging. He urged citizens to come forward and join. He also praised the firefighters and their families for the time commitment they make for training and responding to calls.
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