Fire chief in Orono ends 25-year career

ORONO – Fire Chief Lorin LeCleire has resigned after serving the department for 25 years, according to town officials.

LeCleire’s resignation is effective Friday, but the chief has agreed to continue working with the town on grants for which he has helped apply as well as on other items.

“This was the decision of the fire chief to resign,” Town Manager Cathy Conlow said Monday, noting that his resignation had nothing to do with the town’s need to reduce its budget because of LD 1, recently passed legislation that limits the amount of money the city can collect through taxes.

Capt. Norman “Buddy” Webb will serve as interim fire chief until further notice, according to Conlow.

Efforts to reach LeCleire for comment on Monday were unsuccessful.

Town officials are in the process of examining various municipal departments, including the Police and Fire departments and deciding what they want in the future.

One option being considered was for two towns to share a police chief after Orono Police Chief Bob O’Halloran retires. His contract runs out in April.

“I think at this point we’re probably not looking towards that,” Conlow said Monday. “We’re really focused inward right now.”

Consideration of sharing a police chief still is an option that could come up again, she said.

As for the future of the Fire Department, the chief set up an evaluation process at the department a couple of weeks ago to help city officials get some feedback from employees, according to the town manager.

“We don’t want to make any decisions until I hear what their thoughts are,” Conlow said.

During his years with the department, LeCleire was responsible for developing the Penobscot County HAZMAT Response Team and intends to stay involved with the organization.

“The town will miss his many skills and his tremendous energy,” Conlow said in a press release Monday.

LeCleire began his career with the Orono Fire Department in 1980 as a firefighter and moved up the ranks to become chief in 1998.

Under his direction, the department has absorbed the Orono Volunteer Rescue Squad, the town’s ambulance service, which now employs six full-time paramedics and responds to more than 1,000 calls per year.

A party celebrating the chief’s career will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at the Fire Department’s training room. The public is invited to attend.