Barre Swears In First Joint Firefighter-EMT as Departments Merge

BARRE -- August 6, 2018, Barre Select Board swears in its first combined firefighter-EMT and tables a proposed sick bank. The board administered the oath of office to a new hire identified only as Kyle, a former Hubbardston firefighter-EMT and Massachusetts Fire Academy graduate currently enrolled in paramedic school, filling a newly created joint fire-and-EMS position. Members approved $125,582.81 in end-of-year FY18 appropriation transfers, a $3,500 CMRPC grant administration agreement covering insulation, heating, and electric vehicle charging upgrades, and a one-day liquor license for the Spartan Race. A request to establish a sick bank for non-union employees, prompted by an email citing a Barre officer whose infant daughter is hospitalized at Boston Children's Hospital, was tabled after members debated abuse risk and funding liability, with at least one member arguing only vacation-time donations, not sick-time, should feed any such bank. The board also learned the state budget included a $25,000 earmark for fire apparatus, and staff disclosed they are pursuing a housing capital grant of up to $100,000 and seeking cost estimates to extend cable service to underserved Barre roads.