Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select Board presses fire chief over incomplete CORI checks, SAMS account and basement water
Summary
Police reported incomplete CORI paperwork for fire department applicants; the board also learned the Fire Chief created another SAMS federal‑grants account using a P.O. box and personal email. Chair Jason Jayko asked Chief Frank Speth to attend the next meeting for clarification and ordered water removed from the firehouse basement.
The New Ashford Select Board on Sept. 8 directed follow‑up after the Police Chief reported multiple incomplete CORI (criminal-offender-record-information) submissions for prospective fire personnel and raised questions about the Fire Department’s federal grant registration.
According to the meeting record, the Police Chief said some CORI checks were submitted but most lacked complete paperwork; he will contact Fire Chief Frank Speth to resolve missing items. Separately, the board was told the Fire Chief opened another SAMS (System for Award Management) account under the Fire Department using current account information but listing a post‑office box in Lanesboro and a personal e‑mail address not associated with the town. Chair Jason Jayko said he has emailed Chief Speth and will ask him to attend the board’s next meeting to explain the duplicate SAMS registration.
The board also instructed the Fire Department to remove water from the basement of the fire station. The minutes record the concerns and the board’s request for the chief to appear but do not include Chief Speth’s response or whether the separate SAMS account was opened intentionally for administrative reasons.
The Police Chief’s name is not recorded in the meeting minutes. The board flagged SAMS registration and incomplete CORI paperwork as items requiring clarification at a future public meeting.
