From the Milford Daily News: An 18-month investigation by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination has found probable cause that Senior Deputy Fire Chief John P. Foley Jr.'s age played a role in his being rejected for the Milton fire chief’s job in 2009. He was 59 at the time. Deputy Chief John Grant Jr., 49, was named to the post instead.

Foley, who is still senior deputy chief, began his career as a Milton firefighter in 1972. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1980 and became a deputy chief four years later. He has been in his current post since 1992.

The other finalist to replace retiring Chief Malcolm Larson was Deputy Chief Brian Linehan, 51, who later withdrew his name from consideration after he and the board could not come to terms on a contract.

At the time of Grant’s appointment as chief, he had been with the department for 23 years – including one year as a deputy chief. Grant’s late father, John Grant Sr., was the town’s fire chief for seven years in the 1970s.