OXFORD — Former Westbrook deputy fire chief and longtime firefighter Wayne Jones has been hired as the new head of the Fire Department.

Outgoing fire chief and newly elected Selectman Scott Hunter shook hands at Thursday night’s selectmen meeting.

The fire chief’s position was amended from part-time and elected to full-time and appointed at the annual town meeting last year.

Jones, 54, a firefighting veteran of 40 years, was most recently employed as Westbrook’s deputy fire chief and has served his career in southern Maine.

After retiring from Westbrook, Jones said he saw the job opening in Oxford and applied after taking trips to northern Oxford County and growing to love the town’s scenic beauty. 

Hunter had been with the Fire Department for more than 37 years.

Selectman Jay Goforth acknowledged Hunter’s service, which was met with standing applause from the 30 or so residents who packed into the Town Office. 

Goforth also acknowledged the dedication and long service of former board Chairman Floyd Thayer, whom Hunter unseated in June 9’s election by a narrow margin.

“I’m proud and excited,” Jones told residents, adding that his first course of action after hearing that he’d been nominated was to meet members of the Fire Department face-to-face. Jones was among more than 40 applicants.

Contract details were not immediately available. Town officials previously said they budgeted between $49,000 and $51,000 for the new fire chief’s salary. 

Selectman Peter Laverdiere, who was also sworn in after being re-elected, was elected to vice chairman. Selectman Scott Owens was elected chairman. Laverdiere and Hunter will serve three-year terms. 

Laverdiere stood following his swearing-in ceremony and asked for a moment of silence for the nine people killed Wednesday night at a historic African-American church in Charleston, S.C.  

Penelope Lowe was sworn in as a water district trustee.

Town Manager Michael Chammings said the write-in candidate who garnered six votes for school board director had declined the position.

Retired longtime Town Clerk Ellen Morrison welcomed the new officers and praised the board’s hard work to save the town money. 

Residents asked town officials to comment on a Sun Journal article on June 4 where it was reported they had approved the town manager’s contract at a emergency, special selectmen’s meeting. 

Chammings detailed why the June 2 meeting was outside the typical schedule, explaining that after rumors he wrote his own contract circulated, he decided to forward the documents to the town’s attorney to quell speculation. 

Peter Laverdiere said the board lost track of the fact that the town manager’s contract had to be approved as close to its May 31 expiration date as possible, and that it was forced to act or else watch the town manager walk away. 

Selectman noted that once a year they hold a meeting to conduct a performance review and, if satisfied, extend the town manager’s contract one more year.

The contract given to the Sun Journal said the town manager’s contract had been extended five years, and had to be approved “on or about” May 30. 

Resident Jim Perkins said the meeting left a “sour taste” in his month and could have been handled more transparently, though he did not doubt Chammings fully deserved his salary. 

Chad Boulet Hunter asked town officials to behave more “professionally” and be more prompt about notifying the public about meetings. He said it was difficult to believe newspaper accounts because they sounded like “hearsay.”

“I think people are here for a change,” he said, noting the above-average attendance for a meeting. 

ccrosby@sunmediagroup.net

Correction: A previous version of this article stated Selectman Scott Hunter was elected chairman. It’s Scott Owens.