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Date: 2/16/2022
GRANBY – The clock is ticking for Granby to select a new fire chief.
The town has been searching for a new fire chief since August 2021. Interim Chief Micheline Turgeon’s appointment is set to expire this month. At the Selectboard’s Feb. 9 meeting, Chair Jennifer Silva, said it is necessary to interview and appoint a new chief as soon as possible.
“We need a chief in place. We cannot run a town without a chief,” said Silva.
A representative from the Fire Chief Search Committee came to the Selectboard to ask for clarification on current applicant requirements. She said that they are working diligently to review applicants and start interviews, but are finding that not many candidates meet the education requirement.
On the job posting, candidates are required to have a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Science or equivalent experience. The representative said that some applicants have a Bachelor’s in progress, but have not completed.
The Selectboard clarified that the degree is not a requirement if a candidate has proper rank, certifications and command experience for the position.
The representative said that the job requirement of living in Granby has also been a deal breaker for many candidates. She said that some have settled in neighboring communities or have found that the housing market in town is difficult. According to the representative, they know that they have lost at least one candidate already due to this residency issue.
She asked if the Selectboard would look at flexibility on this requirement and extend it to a five-mile radius or 10-minute drive from the station. This would allow candidates to live in the towns of South Hadley and Belchertown as well.
Silva said that the candidates will not be required to live in the town, but should be able to have a quick response time to getting to the station. All members of the Selectboard agreed that the Fire Chief Search Committee should work to find the best applicants and fit for the town and not focus directly on education or residency at this time.
Applications for the fire chief closed on Feb. 14. The Selectboard decided that by March 21 the selected applicants from the Fire Chief Search Committee should be ready to come in front of the board. This will give the Search Committee five weeks to interview and vet candidates diligently.
According to Silva, the Selectboard hopes to have at least three potential candidates come in front of them for final interviews and selection.
The meeting finished by approving routine warrants and reports.