By Ann Bryant
Sun Journal
WILTON, Maine — Selectmen voted unanimously Tuesday for police Sgt. Richard Billian to assume the duties of interim chief starting Sunday, Aug. 7.
Chief Page Reynolds, whose last day as chief is Saturday, has encouraged Billian to take more responsibility while he’s been away, Town Manager Rhonda Irish said.
“Rick has stepped up to the plate,” she said after recommending that Billian take over the duties until a permanent chief is in place.
Billian is not applying for the chief position.
Irish has received 25 applications for the chief’s position so far. Applications close Friday, Aug. 5. A process for a review of applications, oral board, final interview and reference checks is already in place, she said. She anticipates the process could take 30-90 days before a new chief is hired.
Selectmen also unanimously approved hiring Matt Billian as a fourth police officer. The position has been open for quite some time but wasn’t advertised till after the town meeting in June, she said.
Billian has gone through oral boards and training but will have to meet the conditional items of hiring. He will need to attend the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro in August 2012 to complete a required 18-week course.
Billian serves as a reserve officer in Wilton and Jay and has worked in dispatch for Franklin County.
Chairman Terry Brann questioned who would do job evaluations for Matt Billian because his brother was tasked with officer evaluations. The chief would oversee Billian’s evaluation, he was told.
Brann said he was in favor of hiring him but questioned evaluations.
As the town has no nepotism policy and has had a brother supervising a brother in other departments, the board asked Irish to check on developing a policy similar to what other area towns have.
“If it occurs again, it will be clear what has to be done and who does evaluations,” Brann said.
The department now consists of a chief, a sergeant and four patrol officers.
The board also approved hiring four new reserve officers, bringing the number up to 12 and providing a good pool to pick from when needed, he said.
David Arsenault, an academy trained officer, was hired as a reserve officer and will fill in for officer Nick Zecher while he attends the Maine Criminal Justice Academy starting this month.
Other reserve officers hired were Brian Lynch, Cory Caldwell and Susan Metzger.
Sgt. Billian checked with area departments to see how many reserve officers they have. Jay currently has 13 and Livermore Falls has 16, he said.
Selectman Russell Black said he feels it benefits the department to have good reserve officers on the roster.
Copyright 2011 Sun Journal