[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6023893,"mediaKeyId","5761368-f300d97194936ad7a3efeb5fa6cacd55","parentId",5761368,"title","Rochester and Northfield urge continuation of veteran fire chiefs' service through home-rule bills","audioSeconds",835,"startMs",965000,"endMs",1800000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5761368-f300d97194936ad7a3efeb5fa6cacd55&start=965&end=1800","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5761368-f300d97194936ad7a3efeb5fa6cacd55/thumbnail_965000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6023893/Massachusetts/Rochester-and-Northfield-urge-continuation-of-veteran-fire-chiefs-service-through-home-rule-bills","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6023893-a90ec09bd388c82d9c4b8d667171149a/orig.mp4?Expires=1774844443&Signature=PUkeQobvCVXXuqpXd0rGf6Q645Y~X8yt6OgEGrPQX2C5tnw9dS9BjrFtyR0jEXyOzjyhC~eC5ojhjCj1pheXOcPWo~QZZCEj34raIrWUs5LwyP2~xXdlYZ8qeldg5-XLC4Y2u7vk1yBIpnRLNGMPg6WMz0nWlIoGq11UX8gly6IvyGlGIO2o~nhSIaGD~Z0pDRVbVGRGtzmw~0eh6ygpqXkUY-Zu7qXCN0TQfrby~ORrY3vX2V24nhMUWDmA8ePSCQsStbLsbIbRener4Nn2tlxY5xAsXyjDDkc-Nd4eRiFGx17CPflejOxc2EBaEI4XuciAj36pctbtgPQetyEDag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Massachusetts Legislature","date","2025-09-10T00:00:00Z","article","Officials from two Massachusetts towns asked the Joint Committee on Public Service to approve home-rule petitions that would allow long-serving fire chiefs to continue in office past the standard retirement age.

Representative Silva appeared for the town of Rochester to support House Bill 4235, which would raise the retirement age for Fire Chief Scott Weigel from 67 to 70. Silva told the committee Weigel has nearly 50 years of service, is Rochester’s only full-time firefighter, manages roughly 80 call staff and paramedics and oversees 24/7 emergency coverage. The representative said local town meeting approved the petition and urged a favorable committee recommendation.

Abi (Abigail) Jake, chair of the Northfield select board, testified virtually in favor of House Bill 4236 to continue the employment of Northfield Fire Chief Floyd “Skip” Donnell. Jake said Skip has been active in recent building-committee work on a fire-only facility, helped the town recruit six new firefighters (some from a junior-firefighter program), and committed to an organizational review. Because a community-compact grant was not available, Northfield is funding an organizational review from reserve funds so the work can be completed this year; Jake said Skip would then plan to retire in August 2026.

Both presenters argued that—especially in smaller or mostly-volunteer departments—continuity of leadership supports training, capital projects and deployment of federal ARPA funds. House Bill 4235 references last session’s change under chapter 91 of the acts of 2024 that set a retirement age at 67; the Rochester petition would raise the limit to 70 for Chief Weigel.

Committee members asked routine questions and accepted the testimony; no committee vote was taken on either home-rule petition during the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Committee on Public Service - 9-10-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representatives of Rochester and Northfield told the Joint Committee on Public Service that small towns rely on long-serving fire chiefs and requested home-rule bills to extend employment/retirement ages for Chiefs Scott Weigel (Rochester) and Floyd 'Skip' Donnell (Northfield).","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MA, Massachusetts","taxId",77682,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6023898,"Legislators, unions and an applicant ask committee to relax age caps for police and firefighter appointments",855,545000,1400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5761368-f300d97194936ad7a3efeb5fa6cacd55&start=545&end=1400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5761368-f300d97194936ad7a3efeb5fa6cacd55/thumbnail_545000.jpg","/articles/6023898/Massachusetts/Legislators-unions-and-an-applicant-ask-committee-to-relax-age-caps-for-police-and-firefighter-appointments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6023898-550396bd4ff0f66db6cac7e1dd025d5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1774844443&Signature=GrFMxvblcnWw1doFx2EgnH9XvCEfISJROyYnGGbXyPMTlTG23kRK8cXAe9h4KpiU2KNAGgsuBa27YTCNa4tyRoKmZz3XsQr6wT8LRrtgyrrrB5P0gXD~BdZpVrH3jwMqncgcY2e9TIbZ5wmR4UdBFBidxQ-P~ngWOI7CvxeUyiz605LbNJuGrDunMs0tOhzIWPqxif37mbonnLeWdxpAbrw~uQzSyvnzvEAlT2rmrMFzU2k9-vzlHUR~vjVn4JSsE2zYkLzO2XCts~WhUvP5Cu4FjdaVFdKqXlMxTw1vPO~1z81gQzCe6hHZlhLe4hnGJoNKRSGuAYfvcIuOeMWsyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawmakers, union representatives and a state trooper applicant told the Joint Committee on Public Service that statutory age caps limit recruitment and can disqualify otherwise-qualified candidates.

Paul Jacques, legislative agent for the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, told the committee the union supports House Bill 4443, “an act relative to the maximum age requirement for original appointment to the position of firefighter or police officer,” and said Haverhill Firefighters Local 1011 had submitted supporting testimony.

Senator Nick Collins separately urged the committee to grant a waiver that would allow Jonathan Lewis, a 38-year-old Dorchester resident, to be certified for appointment to the Massachusetts State Police despite the statutory maximum age of 34 for initial appointment. “He scored 98.06 on the state trooper exam,” Collins said, and asked the committee to consider a waiver to permit Lewis to pursue the appointment.

Lewis spoke directly to the committee about his background and testing results. “I was ranked number 49 out of 2,987 people,” he said of the most recent eligibility list; he described prior experience working in hospitality and mentorship by a U.S. marshal, and said he continues physical training to be ready for the next class.

Committee members responded positively to Lewis’s record and asked staff to work with sponsors. The hearing record shows no formal committee vote on HB4443 or on any waiver request during this session.

Clarifying details in testimony included that the statutory maximum age for Massachusetts State Police initial appointment is 34 (as stated in the hearing), that Lewis reported a written exam score of approximately 98.05 on the most recent test and a rank of 49 on the eligibility list, and that unions are pursuing related changes for appointment rules for municipal fire and police hires.","The committee heard testimony supporting House Bill 4443, which would alter maximum-age rules for original appointment to firefighter or police officer posts, and a separate Senate petition asking the State Police to waive the 34-year age limit for applicant Jonathan Lewis.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6023902,"Boston firefighters, family members urge committee to advance survivor benefits for Matt Troy amid occupational-cancer concerns",847,117000,964000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5761368-f300d97194936ad7a3efeb5fa6cacd55&start=117&end=964","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5761368-f300d97194936ad7a3efeb5fa6cacd55/thumbnail_117000.jpg","/articles/6023902/Massachusetts/Boston-firefighters-family-members-urge-committee-to-advance-survivor-benefits-for-Matt-Troy-amid-occupational-cancer-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6023902-fca017817314ea2c4776d14211e17e15/orig.mp4?Expires=1774844443&Signature=LPdifJAadr5dARmuEPo~pRTzN-Cfv2-kw47YuNeCqAx8Pi3NhXDqMn25afO53vs9RZdHsfYbmWDUdioNYEuYnLff7w7CHVfqB-F8p9qWAcBR~qW5Xibf~kCDCLQW419t5tb0kaqh4amfw7d~roKxQC1VvJT9qc1grf8axUEtUFr3BzG4-eYGOORVAItQGD~WyKAAsl78dA~QvNR5sVMV-ZaAY~o9jL6XL7MIofauTJZ5~-bGP~q8qQPGym0KKc6YH8OqTAiqGeQ2IZLqPxIzaBSedeotjB9ZvVWetj7EjZIK6vpAkPlt0mE4OcgN-c2jT9RhM~Umg8Jw1DRoq1Nrcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Boston firefighters, union representatives and a family member of the late Boston firefighter Matthew “Matt” Troy told the Joint Committee on Public Service that Troy’s widow remains ineligible for survivor benefits because of a technical timing issue in existing rules — and urged the committee to advance home-rule and statutory fixes.

An unnamed family member, appearing on behalf of Troy’s wife Rachel and the firefighter’s family, said Troy’s cancer diagnosis occurred four months short of the time threshold required to trigger presumptive occupational-cancer benefits, leaving his widow without the benefits the family would otherwise have received. “I respectfully ask the Commonwealth and his elected leadership, etch Matt’s name into law. Please give Matt the legacy he deserves and give his family the benefits that they have earned,” the family member said during testimony.

The testimony put a human face on data presented by union legislative representatives. Randy Greeley, legislative agent for Boston Firefighters Local 7 18, described an increase in cancer deaths among firefighters and said Troy died in June 2024 at age 32. “Since February, a hundred and 52 of our members has succumbed to cancer that were aged 25 to 40,” Greeley told the committee, summarizing union-collected counts and urging swift action on pending legislation.

Paul Jacques, legislative agent for the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, said unions support a package of measures, including a home-rule petition and state bills aimed at ensuring survivor benefits and addressing presumptive coverage for occupational cancers. “We just wanna go on the record for that and also, support our brothers from Boston Firefighters Local 7 18, go on the record in support of Senate Bill 2,574,” Jacques said.

Representative Hunt and Senator Nick Collins both testified they had filed or co-filed home-rule petitions to provide accidental-death benefits for Troy’s surviving spouse. Representative Hunt said the home-rule petition had unanimous approval by the Boston City Council and described the eligibility gap as the result of a “clerical technical error” that prevented Troy’s status from being changed while he was ill. “What this bill would do would be to ensure that his widow is eligible for all of those benefits,” Hunt said.

Committee chairs acknowledged the testimony and asked union and legislative representatives to remain in contact while staff and members work through technical and administrative issues. No formal committee vote on the bills occurred during the hearing.

Clarifying details recorded during testimony included that Troy’s date of diagnosis — not date of death — fell roughly four months short of the five-year threshold many pension/presumption rules use for occupational presumptions; unions described concern that younger firefighters delay early-detection measures out of fear it could affect eligibility; and unions reiterated prior work to replace contaminated bunker gear and pass PFAS-related equipment standards.

The committee did not take final action on the bills during the hearing; committee members asked witnesses to provide additional materials and to stay in contact about any administrative hurdles with the governor’s office or pension/retirement boards. The hearing concluded with a routine motion to adjourn.","Members of Boston Firefighters Local 718, allied unions and family members asked the Joint Committee on Public Service to move legislation securing accidental-death and occupational-cancer benefits for the widow of firefighter Matthew (Matt) Troy and to strengthen presumptive coverage for firefighter cancers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Rochester and Northfield urge continuation of veteran fire chiefs' service through home-rule bills

Legislators, unions and an applicant ask committee to relax age caps for police and firefighter appointments

Boston firefighters, family members urge committee to advance survivor benefits for Matt Troy amid occupational-cancer concerns