Littleton Select Board Votes to Transfer $155,000 for Fire Department Staffing Gap

LITTLETON — September 5, 2023 — Littleton Select Board hears fire staffing crisis warning and reviews 20-article special town meeting draft. Interim Fire Chief Tom Clancy told the board Tuesday that the department is on pace to exceed 400 back-to-back emergency calls in 2023, up from 335 in 2021, with zero to one off-duty members responding to station coverage requests about half the time. He outlined a three-year staffing roadmap calling for three new firefighter-paramedics in fiscal year 2025, four lieutenant-to-captain promotions in FY26, and a second deputy chief in FY27. "I need the resources to keep my people safe," Clancy said, adding that a Labor Day weekend of three high-acuity simultaneous medicals generated $2,400 in callback overtime — costs he said would drop to zero with five personnel on shift. The board voted unanimously to transfer $155,000 from the town's Special Injury Leave Indemnity Fund under MGL Chapter 40, Section 111F to cover interim staffing costs since Chief Connor's January injury and to enable a deputy chief search. The board also approved a $574,680 pavement preservation contract with Indus of Braintree and three unanimous gift acceptances totaling $2,350 to the library and Elder and Human Services. The 20-article November 1 special town meeting warrant — featuring a proposed $4.4 million overlay reserve transfer to capital stabilization, a potential Webster property purchase, MBTA multifamily zoning, and a contested off-cycle school resource officer request — was discussed but not formally voted on, with final warrant action deferred to the September 18 meeting.