Freeport Town Manager Peter Joseph has issued a two-day, unpaid suspension to Fire Chief Darrell Fournier, effective Jan. 15-16.

Fournier, who is taking the next two weeks off to undergo shoulder-replacement surgery, has been the subject of scrutiny since Dec. 20, when fire destroyed a duplex on Unity Lane. He had been working for Paul Davis Restoration, a restoration company that responds to fire scenes and offers its services. Fournier has been accused of promoting the company while on duty. Fournier resigned from the position shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, the Maine Fire Chiefs’ Association is conducting a probe into whether Fournier violated its code of ethics. If he is found to have violated the code, censure or expulsion from the organization could ensue. Fournier is listed as correspondence secretary on the Maine Fire Chiefs’ Association website.

Joseph said that the Maine Fire Chiefs’ Association investigation has no bearing on Fournier’s employment with the town. Joseph also said that the chief’s promotion of an outside company “could have created the appearance of a conflict of interest to the general public,” hence, the two-day suspension.

“This, combined with his voluntary resignation of the outside employment, leads me to believe that Chief Fournier has taken adequate steps to address the situation and to ensure that this will not be an issue moving forward,” Joseph said.

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