Council demands administration report after fire, DPW and building‑inspector dispute exposes after‑hours protocol gaps

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 failure to get a qualified inspector to an emergency scene can pose safety and liability risks.

Administration response and context: Mayor’s staff, Chief of Staff Nina Nazarian, DPW Commissioner Tim McGivern and Deputy Commissioner Scott Brink explained the city’s reasons for reviewing overtime budgets and implementing timesheets. The mayor said the city has been reviewing overtime usage across departments to curb misuse and to balance constrained municipal resources. City officials said the prior building commissioner has been available as a backup and is paid per call (the administration said $60 per backup call when used); they said the current building commissioner normally triages calls and sends inspectors when needed.

Public safety officials and union representatives pushed back. Deputy Fire Chief Bill Young and other fire personnel said building inspectors’ immediate on‑scene assessments are critical to determine whether a structure is safe to occupy after fires, vehicle impacts, or other emergencies. Union leaders and DPW staff said a recent on‑site refusal to send an inspector forced field personnel to wait or take conservative actions that disrupted residents and required more emergency‑service resources.

Council action: After lengthy debate and public testimony, the council voted in favor of a paper offered by Vice President Kit Collins that requests the administration submit a written report detailing the building department’s new overtime policies and the decision hierarchy between the Building Department and Fire Department for after‑hours incidents. The vote on that paper passed (5‑2). An alternative motion from Councilor Scarpelli that would have ordered immediate reinstatement of past practice failed (1‑6).

Why it matters: Councilors and public safety leaders said the city must balance fiscal stewardship and the need to keep qualified inspectors available for emergencies; the council asked the administration to return with a clear explanation of the current protocol, how backups are used, and whether gaps exist when both the current and former building commissioners are unavailable.

Next steps: The administration agreed to produce the requested report and to work with public safety departments and unions to address immediate concerns. The council did not vote to reinstate the prior practice during the meeting.