NORWAY — Fire Chief David Knox has apologized after he shared on the fire department’s official Facebook page a profanity-filled music video, mocking an employer and tagging his wife, longtime Paris Town Clerk Elizabeth Knox.

Knox said he “accidentally posted” the video of comedian and country music artist Wheeler Walker Jr. performing his song “(Expletive) this Job” to the department’s Facebook page July 30. Elizabeth Knox was tagged at the top and the video was captioned, “I hope my boss is watching.” Among the other profane lyrics is a line that says “(expletive) you, boss.”

By the next day, the video post had been deleted and was replaced by an apology that was signed by David Knox, which remained there Tuesday.

“The Norway Fire Department deeply apologizes for the recent Facebook post that was shared in error,” the post says. “It was accidentally posted, and the Fire Chief takes all responsibility and apologizes for the post. Additional steps are being taken to ensure the integrity of the fire department’s Facebook page.”

Reached by phone Tuesday, Knox confirmed it was he who accidentally posted the video to the department’s page instead of his personal feed. “It was my fault. I’ve apologized and that’s the end of the story,” he said.

Jeffrey Campbell, Norway’s police chief and interim town manager, told the Advertiser Democrat that he received “a number of emails about the video. By the time I was made aware of it the post had already been removed.”

He added that situation highlighted the need to develop a social media policy for its municipal departments and platforms. He and Town Clerk/HR Manager Lisa Lombard are working to draft one for Norway’s Select Board to review.

“Our town clerk will now be the administrator for Norway’s fire department’s Facebook page,” Campbell said. “She is the manager for our social media accounts.”

Norway’s fire department had already taken some hits earlier this summer when its two deputy chiefs, Ryan Fox and Matthew Buckley, both resigned. Lombard confirmed that Fox’s resignation was tendered May 9 and was effective immediately. Buckley quit shortly after that.

“I resigned for internal reasons,” Fox said Monday. “It is ultimately the department’s leader who makes final decisions. And at the end of the day other officers have to choose whether to move on, or continue with the department.”

Elizabeth Knox recently resigned as Paris town clerk, effective Aug. 22.

The resignation follows the annual town meeting June 16, where residents decreased the administrative budget from over $800,000 down to $643,000. The vote made it necessary to cut town office employees’ work hours.

On July 28 the Select Board decreased hours for both the code officer and town clerk jobs from 40 to 24.

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