Get your say on the ‘strong chief’ charter change as Grafton seeks new fire chief

What is a “strong chief?” Why does the Select Board want to change the town charter so one may be hired for the Grafton Fire Department? And why are we talking about this now?

With Fire Chief Mickey Gauthier nearing retirement age, the town, under the recommendation of a fire department study, will hire its very first full-time fire chief, along with two deputy chiefs who will serve as a fire inspector and fire safety officer. Gauthier, who serves part-time running the entirely on-call fire department, believes the town will attract better candidates by allowing a strong chief.

The Select Board will hold a public hearing October 15, 7 p.m., to discuss Article 14 on the September 19 Town Meeting Warrant, which will amend the form of the Grafton Fire Department by adopting Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 48, Section 42, the so-called “strong chief” statute.

 By state statute, Massachusetts has two types of fire chiefs, commonly referred to as strong chiefs and weak chiefs. The difference has to do with the mechanism available to local officials to remove a chief. A strong chief can only be removed for “cause,” while a weak chief can be removed at any time.

This will amend the Town Charter to remove the authority of the Town Administrator to appoint a Board of Fire Engineers, a Fire Chief, forest wardens and other firefighters to serve for indefinite terms, making the Select Board the appointing authority.