Call Fire Fighters’ Letter Sparks Heated Debate

A letter sent by Lt. James Garrott asking former call firefighters if they were interested in returning to the call service sparked a complaint from the career firefighters union.

The board of selectmen voted in January to dissolve the call fire department, but was not allowed to eliminate a union contract outright. Instead the board is waiting for the current contract to run out and move forward from there.

However, selectmen decided not to recruit call firefighters and focus on hiring more career firefighters, even rejecting for recruitment. Wednesday, the board swore in Jason Berube, a new full time firefighter.

Adam Clement, of the took issue with the part of the letter that read former members of the call department would only need to pass a physical to join full-time, and said he believed the letter an attempt to circumvent the hiring practices put in place.

“He’s promising a position with a simple physical,” said Clement.

Garrott said the purpose of the letter was to gauge the interest of members who had left in the past 8-10 years in coming back if there was a call department in the future.

“We’re not here to take one hour of your time or overtime,” said Garrott.

While Selectman Dave Parker said it was a misunderstanding, he agree the letter was misleading. “It would make me believe that all I would have to do is see a doctor and I’m in,” said Parker.

The selectmen, the call firefighters and the career firefighters are planning to meet in early January to hash out the details of the firefighter hiring process and whether there is a need for a volunteer group moving forward.

However, McClintock said the conflict has gone on too long and that he had been trying to set up a meeting since he was elected.

“I don’t know why it takes six months to set up a meeting,” said McClintock. “This should have been addressed a long time ago.”

Lt. Allan Grocott, another full time firefighter, expressed his displeasure with the proceedings by yelling at the selectmen and calling Garrott a liar, causing Parker to end all further discussion on the matter and ask anyone involved with the discussion to leave.