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Select Board authorizes open search for next fire chief after split vote
Summary
The Select Board voted to begin an external search for a new fire chief with a Search Committee to be appointed, after weighing an internal candidate; the motion passed with one dissent. The board also had unanimous votes to support a Milliken CPC request and to execute the firefighters’ collective bargaining agreement.
On Dec. 15 the Select Board authorized initiation of an open search to fill the town’s fire chief position, moving forward with labor-counsel recommended protocol and seeking to appoint a search committee. The motion passed on a roll-call vote after discussion about whether the deputy fire chief should be promoted internally without an open process.
The board heard that the deputy chief had submitted a resume and expressed interest in an internal promotion. Several members argued for starting an open recruitment immediately to ensure a competitive candidate pool and avoid a prolonged interim period (the current chief’s final work date was set for March 19, 2026). One member, Mike Teegan, voted no on the authorization; the other board members voted to begin the search. The board directed staff to prepare a job description, develop a recommended search-committee slate (counsel recommended five to seven members including at least one fire chief or retired chief from the region) and return with a recruitment timeline.
The meeting also included several formal votes: - The board unanimously approved submission of a MassDOT Municipal Small Bridge Program grant application for the Hudson Street bridge design (see separate article). - The board unanimously voted to support a Community Preservation Act funding request for Milliken Middle School ballfield renovation "in the amount up to $300,000" and authorized the chair to sign a support letter. - The board formally approved and executed the finalized collective bargaining agreement with Firefighters Local 3057 (the MOA dated 08/08/2025 had been ratified earlier in executive session), with a roll-call vote to complete the public action.
The Select Board instructed staff to establish the search committee, follow the labor-counsel protocol, and return to provide status updates and proposed candidate-review timelines.
