Opinion: Let us stop this nonsense


To the editor:

Robert Bouley’s constant repetition that “…a salary of over $100,000.00 is too expensive for the town’s smallest district by population” is a tiresome canard, a misdirection the source of which cannot possibly be from well-thought out consideration of a chief’s position.

What facts does he have to substantiate this intransigent position?

Bouley knows next to nothing about what the chief of a 24/5/365 call department’s responsibilities and activities are to keep the district operating at a safe level. He has never even visited the firehouse or a drill to acquaint himself with the fire company. So how can he say that $115,000.00 is too much money? That is actually the bottom rung of a MA fire chief’s salary scale, given the experience level.

First: the tax rate was set the day the voter approved the District Warrants in May. Nothing Bouley or Coutu can do subsequent to that vote will change the district tax calculation. In addition, $15,000.00 in this budget will probably amount to a rate of $ .06 per $100,000 of assessment. Translated to simple math: $.06 x $100 = $6.00. That is $6.00 on the tax bill for the year. And, further nothing Bouley or Coutu do or try to the budget either in calendar 2022 or until June 2023, will lower the rate by $.06. “The bottom line is that we were elected to save people money,” Bouley said.

But he can’t do that until the next fiscal year, nor is he looking at the correct categories of the budget to affect the rate. The $15,000.00 certainly does not.

So, Bouley and Coutu would fully destroy the career of a 26 year fire department veteran with far superior qualifications for the position of Chief of Fire District 2.

Edgcomb’s accomplishments alone since November have more than proven that he is “worth the money”. His receiving grants of approximately $45,000 since November more than justify Edgcomb’s propose contract salary level and he is working on a $200,000 grant for new radio equipment and a $1.5 million grant to replace the 27 year old ladder truck. He is working to lower the fire district’ s insurance rating so that residents’ insurance bills will decrease. He has increased the call department from about 11 members in November to more than 23 at latest count . Morale has noticeably improved; the district has an excellent community outreach program and the firehouse is open for all to visit.

Let us stop this nonsense.

Bernie Giroux,

Dartmouth




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Jorge Oliveira

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