Seymour schedules April 8 public hearing on firefighters ordinance that would set chief terms and expand enrollment

Fire Chief Christopher Michael Edwards presented proposed revisions to the Seymour Fire Department ordinance at the March 24 ordinance committee meeting and the committee voted to set a public hearing for April 8 at 6:00 p.m.

The committee scheduled the hearing after Edwards read a newly drafted paragraph to section 6.21 proposing that "upon completion of the fire chief's initial 3 year term, the board of fire commissioners may, by majority, vote will appoint the fire chief to 2 successive 1 year extensions. Any such extension shall be approved prior to June 30 and shall commence July 1 of the applicable year." Edwards said each one-year extension would be treated as a separate appointment and would not alter the board's authority to decline renewal.

Why it matters: Committee members and residents said the change is aimed at providing continuity while accommodating turnover. Resident Pete Sampari asked whether the fire commission had approved the three-year provision and pressed how consecutive one-year extensions would preserve continuity; Edwards and other members described staggered appointments and the practical workings of filling unexpired terms.

The proposal also clarifies enlistment and eligibility: Edwards said the draft removes an erroneous reference to a non-bordering town and allows town employees who work in Seymour but live outside neighboring towns to join if they complete the same background checks, drug testing and NFPA/OSHA-aligned training the department requires of volunteer members. On take-home vehicle use, Edwards said the town has long allowed chiefs to keep department vehicles for response purposes and the ordinance puts that policy in writing; he emphasized that department vehicles should be used only when the officer "can respond" to emergencies.

Committee members raised questions about vagueness in language such as what constitutes a "reasonable period of time" to appoint replacements following a vacancy and whether removal-for-cause language should read differently so that suspension and administrative leave remain available pending any hearing. Members clarified that suspension or administrative leave is an available immediate tool, while removal is completed following the board's hearing.

A motion to set the ordinance committee public hearing for the firefighters ordinance for Tuesday, April 8, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the Norman Drummer Room was made and seconded; the chair called the vote and recorded the motion as carrying 3-0.

Next steps: The ordinance committee will hold the public hearing on April 8; the committee also asked that the redlined ordinance be prepared and circulated beforehand so members and the public can review the exact changes in writing.