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Council demands administration report after fire, DPW and building‑inspector dispute exposes after‑hours protocol gaps
Summary
A contentious Jan. 7 session centered on a dispute over building‑inspector overtime and who decides whether inspectors should respond after hours; council asked the administration for a written report on new overtime policies and after‑hours decision hierarchy.
A prolonged and heated discussion on Jan. 7 focused on Medford’s procedures for after‑hours building‑inspector response and how overtime is managed in multiple departments. The council did not change policy on the spot but passed a request that the administration submit a report detailing new overtime policies in the Building Department and the current hierarchy for decision making on after‑hours incidents.
Background: Councilor Scarpelli opened the discussion after constituents and union members raised alarms about a recent change in practice: dispatch now calls the building commissioner, who decides whether to send an inspector; in prior practice an inspector might be dispatched directly or other field staff could reach an inspector. Councilors and first‑responders said a…
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