Lawsuit claims former Manchester fire chief misused department funds for lobsters, scuba gear

The nonprofit organization that funds Manchester's volunteer fire department is suing the town's former fire chief, alleging he drained nearly $25,000 in department money over six years on scuba gear, cash withdrawals and other personal expenses.

Frank Wozniak, who led the Manchester Fire Department from September 2018 until his resignation in August 2024, is accused in a civil complaint filed at the Capital Judicial Center in Augusta of making 52 unauthorized transactions totaling $24,393.70 between May 2019 and July 2024. The suit was brought by the Manchester Fire Department Association, the nonprofit that bankrolls the department through donations.

The alleged expenditures include $1,200 at a scuba diving store, a $1,300 cash withdrawal described as being for lobsters, and a $100 charge at a restaurant in Falmouth. According to the complaint, the spending breaks down into roughly $18,460 in cash and ATM withdrawals, with the remaining $5,933.70 spread across debit card purchases, checks and other charges. Harold Jones, a former Manchester firefighter of 38 years who served as the department's treasurer, stated in an affidavit that he could locate no authorization, vote, invoice, receipt or supporting record for any of the transactions.

Jones resigned as treasurer shortly after Wozniak was hired in 2018, citing what he described as the new chief's lack of cooperation, his refusal to provide receipts for department transactions, and his decision to end the membership meetings where spending decisions were previously voted on. With Jones out of the role, Wozniak was given full access to department funds and accounts.

Jones returned as treasurer in June 2024, when Wozniak was placed on administrative leave, and regained control of the department's accounts. An unusual $400 ATM withdrawal caught his attention and prompted a deeper review of the bank records, which uncovered the broader pattern of alleged unauthorized spending.

Manchester Town Manager Debora Southiere said in court filings that she and the Board of Selectmen had previously asked Wozniak about the account and were told it was "none of (their) business."

Wozniak's attorney did not respond to requests for comment, but Wozniak himself denied the allegations in a written statement and called them "retaliatory." He said he had raised concerns about "serious irregularities" involving Federal Emergency Management Agency funds and the conduct of Southiere while he was chief, and that he is currently cooperating with investigators on those matters.

"I believe that cooperation, along with the documentation and evidence I have provided, is important context that should not be overlooked," Wozniak said. "I stand by the concerns I raised, I deny the allegations against me, and I look forward to having the facts and evidence fully examined through the appropriate process."

Walter McKee, the attorney representing the Fire Department Association, rejected the retaliation claim as "totally false."

A judge has already granted a pre-judgment order allowing the association to freeze Wozniak's bank accounts in advance of being served with the lawsuit, based on a finding that there was reason to fear the defendant might attempt to hide or destroy assets.

Wozniak's departure from the department followed a separate controversy. He had been placed on administrative leave in June 2024 amid a Hallowell police investigation into allegations that he had represented himself as a constable, a position that does not exist in Manchester, in order to have blue emergency lights installed on the town-owned truck he used as fire chief. The criminal charge was dropped in 2025 after Wozniak agreed to pay a $154 fine on a civil summons for improper use of emergency vehicle lights.

His tenure was marked by other incidents as well. In early 2020, Wozniak was arrested in Portland on a charge of operating under the influence. He pleaded guilty in 2022, and the charge was ultimately dismissed after he completed a year of court-imposed conditions, including 20 hours of community service. The town's Board of Selectmen took no disciplinary action against him following the arrest, and he was able to retain both his driver's license and his position as chief.

In February 2024, Wozniak filed a protection from harassment order against John Black, a former Manchester firefighter, accusing him of a decade of intimidation and stalking. Black, who denied the allegations and said he had been critical of what he viewed as department mismanagement, was also represented by McKee in that matter. Wozniak dropped the case in August 2024, the same day he resigned, saying in part that town officials had told him they would no longer cover his legal bills.

McKee said he believes a criminal investigation into the financial allegations may also be underway, though Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine State Police, said she could find no record of state police activity involving Wozniak and the alleged misuse of funds. Chris Read, chief deputy of the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office, could not be reached for comment.