SHUTESBURY — The same day the entire fire department had vowed to resign, the Selectboard and Fire Chief Walter Tibbetts averted the walkout Tuesday when they successfully resolved a six-month-long salary dispute.
At the beginning of a special Town Meeting, Tibbetts and Chairwoman Melissa Makepeace O’Neil made a joint announcement: The town and the fire chief had signed a three-year contract at 4 p.m. that day. Residents rose to their feet in the elementary school gymnasium, clapping and cheering at the town’s decision to keep its fire chief — and its 10 volunteer firefighters.
The agreement to raise the fire chief’s salary to $65,118 came on the same day that the chief had pledged to retire — with the Fire Department threatening to fold should his request not be met.
“I’m feeling relieved and I’m glad this is over,” Tibbetts said following the meeting. Residents voted 138-20 in favor of Article 1, which proposed granting Tibbetts his requested salary raise. Tibbetts had asked for a $10,000 raise to compensate for what he termed a doubling of his responsibilities over the past 12 years.
In June, the fire chief had delivered a letter of retirement to the Selectboard following five months of failed negotiations, effective July 31. This prompted all 10 of the department’s firefighters to say they would resign as well should the request not be met.
“It’s been hard on me, my family, and it’s been hard on firefighters and their family,” Tibbetts said. “It’s been hard on the townspeople.”
Tibbetts has been the town’s fire chief for the past 23 years, a position that became full time in 2009. He has served the department for a total of 39 years. His father also served the department, which is made up of on-call volunteers paid hourly.
Tibbetts is also the president of Franklin County Fire Chiefs Association and the chairman of the Franklin County Emergency Communication System Oversight Committee.
As people were leaving the Elementary School gymnasium, they congratulated the chief and told him how happy they were for him now that the contract is settled.
He said he lost count of how many residents stopped by the fire station to ask him for updates on contract negotiations over the past few weeks and months. It was difficult for him, he said, as concerned residents expressed nervousness and anger, yet he could not disclose any information due to the confidential nature of negotiations.
“We’ve come to an agreement, and it’s the best agreement for me, the department, the town, and the townspeople,” Tibbetts said. “It all came together.”
A petition started by the Fire Department to grant Tibbetts his requested salary garnered 227 signatures, passing the 200 required to bring an article to vote at a special Town Meeting, according to Town Clerk Susie Mosher. The announcement of a contract agreement essentially nullified the vote to raise Tibbetts’ salary, because the contract would have superseded it even if the vote failed, board member Elaine Puleo said.
“The Selectboard always felt confident in the negotiation process and how it would eventually come together,” Puleo said.
George Arvanitis of the Finance Committee mentioned that the salary would be coming out of the town’s tax fund as it is a reliable source of money for a recurring cost and it will impact the town’s tax rate. The raise in salary will be “one of the drivers for the tax rate going up.”
The resolution in Shutesbury offered a contrast to the situation in the Hampden County town of Blandford, where the entire police force of three part-time officers and an interim chief walked out Monday over what they termed poor working conditions.
Many Shutesbury residents expressed relief and joy that the town had resolved contract negotiations with their fire chief, but most declined to go on the record.
Leslie Luchonok, who has lived in town for 28 years, said, “It’s fabulous and a relief.”
“In those 28 years, Walter and the Shutesbury Fire Department have come to our aid and assistance four times,” he said.
Firefighter Paul DeMarco said, “The entire Fire Department is delighted that this has been resolved and we look forward to continue serving the people of this town.”