The town of Madawaska presented outgoing Fire Chief Jim Soucy with a plaque for his service to the town during a Dec. 16 meeting. Officials recognized his 22 years of service to the town, 13 of which were spent as chief. Soucy will be officially retiring at the end of the month.
Selectboard chair Jason Boucher, who has worked in the department with Soucy, presented the plaque at the start of the meeting, attesting to his dedication to the town and the sacrifices he made for over two decades.
“I’ve seen you work the lines, I’ve watched you lead, and somehow you and I have always been the ones stuck at the tip of the ladder during a chimney fire,” he said. “I know firsthand the weight and responsibility you carry, whether we were training together or responding to the toughest calls, your focus was always on the safety of your crew and the safety of the people of Madawaska.”
He concluded by telling Soucy that he did not just hold the title of fire chief, he earned it through his years of commitment to the town and its people.
Soucy thanked everyone at the meeting and concluded that it “has been a great ride.”
The board also appointed Deputy Fire Chief Mark Daigle to serve as interim chief while the town searches for a permanent replacement. Prior to this, Boucher read out the chief’s letter of resignation, which simply stated that his last day will be on Dec. 31.
Boucher said the town had approached Daigle about this prior to the meeting to see if he would be willing to accept the position, and he was.
The town is currently accepting applications for the chief position. A job posting with more information is available on the municipal website.
