Fire chief warns of coverage gap; proposes separate warrant article for full-time staffing

Fire Chief James Reiner told the Budget Committee on Oct. 30 that the department is at a "critical point" in a multi-year plan to shift Alton from primarily call-based coverage to a fully staffed department.

Reiner said the department currently has five full-time firefighters in regular roles (six counting the chief) and that the plan presented to the board would add four full-time positions through a separate warrant article the committee will see later. "We're projected to just be shy of 1,400 this year at the end of the year," Reiner said, attributing most calls to EMS and an aging year-round population. He described sustained overtime expenditures (the chief referenced roughly $170,000 in overtime in recent years) and said continued reliance on overtime is not sustainable.

Why it matters: the proposed staffing change would alter response capacity, overtime expenditures, retirement costs and the town's long-term operating budget. If the warrant article is approved by voters, the town would add recurring payroll and benefit costs; if it fails, Reiner said the department will explore hybrid staffing models to maintain coverage.

Details and debate: Reiner said the department had originally planned incremental additions (two positions at a time) but default budgeting and other disruptions resulted in lost positions. He reported near-duplicate responses and frequent mutual-aid requests; when mutual aid goes out, the town can be without coverage for extended periods. Reiner said seeking voter approval through a warrant article would be clearer to residents: "This is for full time," he said, describing the plan as a distinct item for voters to decide.

Cost references in the meeting: during discussion Reiner and committee members cited an estimated cost for the four positions (including benefits) of about $318,000; the chief said the warrant article would include a spelled-out breakdown of salary and benefits. The committee asked for a more detailed cost-benefit analysis to show how additional full-time staffing would reduce overtime and related retirement costs over time.

Committee action: the committee approved the Fire Department operating budget for 2025 at $1,125,689. The separate warrant article for four additional full-time firefighters will be submitted for review by the selectmen and then presented to voters if the board approves placing it on the warrant.

Next steps: the fire department will provide a detailed warrant-article cost breakdown showing salary, benefits and anticipated overtime savings; the committee and selectmen will review that information before the public-deliberative process.