CVFRS hiring chief of department
Town, fire department quiet on when, why, and how they're paying for it
CVFRS hiring head of department
The job was put on hold during budget talks but appears to be back on the books.
Chea Waters Evans
It was listed a week and a half ago on the Indeed hiring website: Chief of Department, Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services, salary up to $104,000 a year. The managerial position could potentially replace the volunteer corporate board that oversees the nonprofit private corporation that provides fire and rescue services to Charlotte and beyond.
During pre-Town Meeting Day discussions at Selectboard meetings earlier this year, the position was removed from the CVFRS FY 22-23 budget because the $50,000 allocated for the job was deemed too much money, in a time where other town-related budgets were staying level or getting cut. No explanation has been offered for why the job is back on the books, or how it’s going to be financed.
Fire Chief Dick St. George, CVFRS Board President Fritz Tegatz, and all five Selectboard members, Chair Jim Faulkner, Vice Chair Frank Tenney, Louise McCarren, Lewis Mudge, and Matt Krasnow did not respond to requests for comment regarding the job posting. St. George, Tegatz, and Faulkner were contacted multiple times.
During the January 17 Selectboard meeting, Tegatz and the Selectboard decided to table hiring a department manager due to the cost. Tegatz agreed during discussions to remove the job expense from the CVFRS budget with the comment, “I might get my ass handed to me when I go to our board meeting.”
The lead-up to the decision left some leeway for the fire and rescue department to hire someone, should financial and other conditions improve. Faulkner told Tegatz during the Jan. 17 meeting, “In the event that you find somebody, come back and request [funding].” Tegatz said, “If both boards agree, I think that’s fine.”
There has been no discussion at a Selectboard meeting regarding an agreement between the CVFRS and Selectboard that a chief of department should be hired, although multiple sources confirm that the special Selectboard executive session on March 18 concerned CVFRS.
Tonight’s special Selectboard meeting agenda lists discussion with CVFRS and a possible executive session at 7 p.m.