MANCHESTER — Fire Chief Francis R. Wozniak has resigned from his post, two months after he was placed on administrative leave over allegations of impersonating a police constable.

Manchester Fire Chief Francis R. Wozniak Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal file

His resignation was effective Friday.

Wozniak, who had served as fire chief since before town residents narrowly voted to make the position full-time in 2019, sent an email Friday announcing his resignation to Debora Southiere, Manchester’s town manager.

Southiere on Monday denied a request for Wozniak’s resignation letter, saying it was a personnel matter.

Wozniak was placed on paid administrative leave on June 28 after he was issued a summons by Hallowell police on charges of impersonating a public official with the intent to deceive.

Wozniak said Monday in an interview with the Kennebec Journal that his decision to resign was not based on the charges or the administrative leave. He said he has been considering resigning for more than six months and that he didn’t “like the direction the town was heading.”

He said there had not been enough support for the fire department during his time as its chief and that there was a group of residents in town who would be happy only once he had resigned.

During Manchester’s most recent Select Board meeting on Aug. 13, many residents expressed frustrations about the fire department and Wozniak’s leadership. Residents complained about the fire department’s manpower and equipment being used in nonemergency situations, as well as a lack of training for firefighters, questionable expenses and an absence of proper fire department records.

Robert Gasper, a Select Board member and volunteer firefighter who defended Wozniak and the department during the meeting, resigned from both of his posts on Aug. 16, citing “changing attitudes” about volunteerism and the direction the town was taking.

While Wozniak was on administrative leave and still being paid his $59,325 salary, Southiere appointed Walter Mooers, a longtime volunteer firefighter, to be the town’s acting fire chief.

Mooers will continue as acting chief until a decision is made on a new permanent chief. Southiere said the town is not close to choosing Wozniak’s replacement, but that she anticipates circulating applications for the position soon.

In 2020, Wozniak was arrested on a charge of drunken driving in Portland and pleaded guilty in 2022. He continued to work as fire chief during that time.

Earlier this year, according to a March invoice, Wozniak spent more than $9,000 to have a light bar capable of flashing red and blue lights installed on a town-owned 2021 Dodge Ram pickup truck he often drove. Hallowell police alleged he falsely represented himself as a police constable when he sought to have the light bar installed, and that he used blue flashing lights when responding to a fire call earlier this year.

Under Maine law, constables are appointed for a term of no longer than a year and can have the powers of a law enforcement officer during that term if they undergo the proper training. Wozniak has never enrolled in that training.

Blue lights are reserved for law enforcement use, and Manchester has no constable position.

Wozniak denies the allegations from Hallowell police, and said he was surprised to hear them at first.

He said Monday he never identified himself as a constable and his use of blue lights was a “malfunction” of the light bar on its first-ever use. Wozniak said he only bought the lights to save the town money on lights for the truck, which he said needed new lights installed anyway. The lights, according to Wozniak, could be programmed to flash red or blue.

Wozniak said it “never was the intention” to impersonate a law enforcement official.

He also said he had been asked by the Select Board and town manager to become a constable over the several years before his resignation. Southiere has said that the town has discussed adding a constable position, but hasn’t yet because of funding.

“Wished the town never asked me to do this,” Wozniak said.

Garry Hinkley, the chairman of the Select Board, could not be reached immediately for comment Monday.

Wozniak’s court date for the impersonation charges is Oct. 8.