Buckfield looking for new road foreman

BUCKFIELD — The town is looking for a new road foreman, the second new hire for the position in less than a year.

The town has posted the open position in Sunday newspapers, Town Manager Dana Lee reported to the selectboard during its meeting March 5.

According to Lee, Dwight "Rick" Nicholas, who was hired as road foreman in October, didn't fit the position as expected by the town and was let go after his probationary employment period.

He said part of the issue was the last foreman lived too far away from Buckfield. The town intended to select a candidate that lived in or much closer to town, he told selectmen.

"Somebody who's experiencing the weather that Buckfield is experiencing," Lee said, "not greater Poland or whatever you might want to call it."

Part of the job was monitoring the weather all of the time, Lee said. He said that may not have been fully understood when the latest foreman was hired.

This is the second time in less than a year that the town has lost its road foreman.

In October, Phillip Savage, a 15-year town employee, stepped down from his position as foreman, citing rumors and false allegations that were directed at him and the department by residents and selectmen.

Savage's departure came after selectmen expressed concern with the management of Buckfield's public works department.