Fire chief back on duty in Island Falls

By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    Although Island Falls Fire Chief Joshua McNally went back to his post Oct. 1 after a brief resignation over the department’s management, the terms are, at least for now, temporary. McNally returned to work on a 90-day trial basis in an agreement worked out with the town’s Board of Selectmen on the future of the department.
    Town Clerk Cheryl McNally, who is not related to the chief, said Island Falls no longer has contracts for ambulance service with Dyer Brook, Oakfield or Crystal. However, she added, the town provides its own ambulance service and has a mutual aid agreement for fire protection services with the other towns. By losing the ambulance contracts when McNally and his deputy Paul Breton II resigned, revenue went down. They had the high-level life support training as paramedics to perform services that EMT’s cannot.
    At the heart of the matter is the pending court case and allegations by Maine State Police of felony theft against Paul Breton II for presenting receipts unrelated to departmental business.
    Paul Breton II, the deputy chief, was put on administrative leave and then resigned. Reportedly, McNally experienced harassment and lack of support from the selectmen.
    Cheryl McNally said the whole matter has stirred up some bad sentiments in the town. The reported amount of $10,000 in receipts for alleged misappropriated funds is, she said, possibly much higher.
    Neither Joshua McNally nor Paul Breton II returned calls for comment. But, a family member said Breton was working in Bangor.