ROCKLAND — The town of South Thomaston and two men who were named in a civil suit for allegedly not turning over nearly $15,000 that was designated by the South Thomaston Firemen's Association to the town, will meet for mediation May 6.

Former Fire Chief Wayne A. Brown and former firefighter Colin Grierson were named as defendants in the lawsuit filed Feb. 13 in Knox County Superior Court.

According to court documents, the funds were held in bank accounts controlled by the South Thomaston Firemen's Association, which dissolved in 2007. At that time, the association voted that any money in its bank accounts would go toward the purchase of a new fire truck.

The suit stated that Brown withdrew approximately $15,000 from the association's bank accounts. The town is seeking the full sum of the money returned, payment of legal fees and punitive damages as warranted by the evidence presented and approved by the court.

The issue of the missing funds was publicly discussed at a Select Board meeting in 2010. Since then, town officials and the town's attorney have made numerous verbal and written communications to the association's representatives requesting that the money be returned to the town.

According to the lawsuit, the defendants have avoided the issue and denied any knowledge about the money.

The State Attorney General's office is currently investigating criminal charges since bank records show that Brown personally withdrew the money in 2012 from Camden National Bank, documents said.

Attorney James Strong, of Thomaston, is representing the town in the lawsuit. Attorney Walter McKee, of Augusta, is representing Brown and Grierson.

Sarah Shepherd can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com