Some are worried because it is not clear what evaluation system might replace the civil service examination.
WARE – There is opposition and concerns about a controversial selectmen-endorsed proposal to eliminate the state-administered testing system used for decades in Ware to field candidates for police chief and fire chief.
Articles on Monday’s annual town meeting warrant ask residents to repeal the requirement that candidates for police and fire chief pass the state civil service test to gain eligibility for either job.
The May 14 annual meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Ware High School auditorium. It is preceded by a 6:30 p.m. special Town Meeting.
John Carroll“My concern is what it does is make the police and fire chiefs political appointments, rather than based on qualifications,” Fire Chief Thomas Coulombe said in an interview. “I am vigorously opposing this at town meeting.”
The two articles that aim to abolish civil service for the town’s top two public safety jobs were the idea of Ware selectman John Carroll. He said the change would allow the town to select from a wider pool of candidates.
“Instead of getting one or two candidates, if we go non-civil service we can have potentially hundreds of qualified candidates. If we choose someone within the department from this pool, that is fine,” he said.
Carroll said he supports hiring a private company to administer the testing.
But neither article includes language requiring the alternative testing Carroll proposes, nor do the articles mention what it would cost to administer private testing and evaluations for the police chief or fire chief.
In an interview, Carroll was asked why provisions requiring an alternative testing regimen were not written into the articles.
He said, “The proper way to do it is to set up a testing procedure and look for the best candidates. We are not trying to preclude anyone in the departments from being eligible.”
Carroll also said he spoke with Fire Chief Thomas Coulombe, who resides in town, and with Police Chief Dennis Healey, of Warren, about the proposal to abolish civil service testing.
“They did not have an issue with it as long as the proper testing is in place,” Carroll said.
The chiefs say they have mixed feelings because no merit testing system has been adopted to replace civil service in Ware.
Coulombe said civil service is financially advantageous because the applicant pays for taking the test instead of the town. He has been chief the past 12 years.
He said private companies charge a lot of money to administer an evaluation regimen. The chief said the price is typically between $10,000 and $20,000.
Coulombe questioned where the town would get that money. Salaries for nearly all municipal employees are being slashed thousands of dollars to balance the operating budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Selectmen, the finance committee and the town manager have recommended spending $12.05 million for the fiscal year that begins July 1 to cover the town side of the budget ledger – a cut of nearly 3 percent.
“If there was open public discussion about this ahead of time, the opposition would not be there. They haven’t offered up what the process is to hire someone. I have concerns with that,” Coulombe said.
“There are different systems besides civil service. But if you are going to have a testing procedure, that all should be known ahead of time and vetted through the employees so they know it’s fair.”
Healey said, “I have mixed feelings. I am concerned how the position will be filled down the road. It is not as simple as doing away with civil service.” He has been chief the past 16 years.