ST. JOHNSBURY — Six towns want to look at regionalizing firefighting services in Caledonia and Essex counties.
And any other towns interested in joining the effort will have to say so by Feb. 14.
That’s according to Irene Nagle, a planner with Northeastern Vermont Development Association, who ran a meeting Wednesday in St. Johnsbury with local officials to discuss the proposal.
The towns of St. Johnsbury and Waterford were jointly awarded a $31,000 grant in December from the state Agency of Commerce and Community Development to study the feasibility of shared fire services in the area.
The regional development association is administering the funds, and planners there want interested towns to sign up to participate in the study.
To do so, towns must designate a representative for the study’s steering committee and commit money toward the effort — up to $2,500, according to a memorandum of understanding.
The fee, which Nagle said is a ballpark figure that can be adjusted for different towns, drew some uncertainty from officials at the meeting.
“The question is the financial aspects of it,” said Ken Linsley, chair of the Danville Selectboard.
“I’m concerned with the amount that might be asked of smaller towns whose, I think, input would be valuable,” Linsley continued. “I look at Walden, and $2,500 to Walden is a lot more than $2,500 to the Town of St J.”
But he ultimately said Danville was interested in participating. Barnet Fire Chief Ronald Morse signalled support, too.
Those two towns joined St. Johnsbury, Waterford, Lyndon and Concord as participants in the feasibility study, which is set to be finished by May 2021.
Brent Smith, representing Groton, said his town has limited interested in joining the study. “I think the cost would be an issue,” he said.
Neil Monteith, vice president of the Peacham Fire Department, said the chief of his department wasn’t interested, either. He wasn’t sure, though, if the town’s board felt differently.
The developments come after discussions last August, when St. Johnsbury Fire Chief Jon Bouffard said fire departments in the area had trouble maintaining staff levels.
