HATFIELD — A working group that will examine the operations of the Hatfield Fire Department and emergency medical services, and make recommendations for its future, should be in place by October.
Fire Chief Robert Flaherty told the Select Board at its Sept. 13 meeting that he envisions the working group, with two fire representatives, two representatives from municipal management and one resident, examining the call volume, current staffing and other pertinent information.
The idea is to have the working group present recommendations as the budget season kicks off later this year and continues into early 2023.
Board Chairwoman Diana Szynal said options for the future have to be presented to residents in a fair and reasonable way so Town Meeting can make final decisions.
“We need to be providing the best coverage we possibly can for our residents within the confines of the budgets that we have to work with,” Szynal said.
The formation of the working group comes as Flaherty said he is concerned about criticism that has been directed at his department and those who volunteer their time.
Board member Ed Jaworski, though, said many of those negative comments are coming from a vocal minority. “I think the majority of people in town appreciate what firefighters do, and appreciate the volunteers in this town,” Jaworski said
Meanwhile, the board approved the Oct. 8 Hatfield Fire Association’s Bonfire, an event that will run from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Hatfield Lions Club Pavilion on Billings Way.
Flaherty said each city and town in Massachusetts is allowed to stage one bonfire per calendar year. His department will be on site to make sure there are no issues with the blaze.
The event is the major fundraiser for the association, with proceeds going to support the town’s fire services.
This year’s bonfire features headliners Warren Zeiders and A Thousand Horses and local performers Ultimatum and Holly Mae.
“We appreciate it as a community,” Szynal said. “It’s a fun night.”
In other business, the board accepted the resignation of Robert Wagner from the Planning Board, thanking him for a decade of service on that panel, as well as his efforts to preserve farmland through the Agricultural Commission and Community Preservation Act Committee.
In his resignation letter, Wagner announced he would be moving from Hatfield to Northampton next month. He wrote that serving was rewarding in guiding the town by its master plan. and cited two specific accomplishments, the accessory dwelling bylaw that gives more opportunities for people to remain in their homes as they age, and successfully dealing with the arrival of recreational marijuana.
Letters of interest to fill Wagner’s position can be submitted to the Select Board’s office Town Hall through Wednesday at 4 p.m. with a joint appointment anticipated to fill the vacancy until next May’s town election.
The board also accepted the resignation of Amy Goclowski from the trustees for the library, made a formal denial to a 10-year Comcast contract renewal, which will give more time for final terms of the deal to be made, and appointed Patricia Cotton to begin as town collector and treasurer starting Monday.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
