APPLETON, Maine — The town’s longtime fire chief will stay on the job, two weeks after quitting when selectmen said they would not reimburse him for ink cartridges without a receipt.
Fire Chief David Stone apologized to the selectmen at the start of Tuesday night’s meeting for his actions at the Jan. 6 meeting.
Stone said he decided to stay on after being encouraged by other firefighters and town residents.
“I have a temper, and I apologize,” Stone said as he faced the three selectmen.
At the Jan. 6 meeting, Stone became angry when selectmen said they needed a receipt to reimburse him $34 for the cartridges. He crumpled up a piece of paper and tossed it at the selectmen when he left the meeting, announcing he was quitting.
Stone later said that he was tired of the micromanaging by the selectmen.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, Board Chairman Donald Burke said the board was not doing that.
“We’re not trying to micromanage you. That’s the last thing we want to do,” Burke said.
But he said keeping receipts is important for financial record keeping. Stone said he didn’t want to provide the town his credit card bill that he used to buy the cartridges for the printer at the fire station.