Westfield Fire Department patch. (WNG File Photo)
WESTFIELD-As Westfield Fire Department Chief Mary Regan closes out her 31-year career with the department next month, a successor will soon be named.
“The objective and goal of the Westfield Fire Commission (WFC) as the ‘appointing authority’ is to move rapidly on the process to choose from candidates which would come from the Westfield Fire Department (WFD) in-house organization which could potentially be five candidates namely deputy fire chiefs,” said Albert Masciadrelli, WFC chairman.
A special meeting of the Westfield Fire Commission is slated June 25 at 6 p.m. at the Little River Fire Station, Substation – Station 2, Community Room, 366 Little River Road, to discuss “special business” including motions for a temporary fire chief appointment, motion for a temporary deputy fire chief appointment; motion for a temporary fire captain appointment, and a motion for a permanent firefighter appointment.
Masciadrelli explained that in January of 2017 the WFC was notified that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Human Resource division of the Civil Service Unit would no longer be conducting the Fire Chief Series Exam.
“We were notified it was the responsibility of the municipalities ‘appointing authority’ to create an Assessment Center to establish candidates for a list which would be certified by Civil Service,” said Masciadrelli.
Albert Masciadrelli
Masciadrelli noted that the WFC as the “appointing authority,” along with the Office of the City Solicitor and the Office of the City Personnel Director, met in January of 2017 to trigger an action item/process for developing a process to establish an Assessment Center to meet the needs of the department and “be mindful to being in cognizant with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Human Resource division of the Civil Service Unit.”
Masciadrelli said the assessment process is still “unfolding” and that a temporary/provisional fire chief would have to be installed.
The appointing authority “would have to be very mindful of the ‘agreement’ (contract language) between the City of Westfield and the WFD Supervisors Association namely deputy fire chiefs in initiating an action item to fill said position, namely the fire chief,” said Masciadrelli.
