The selectmen are not discussing reasons for removing Denning, and have appointed Lt. Fred Piechota as acting chief.
BRIMFIELD – After placing Fire Chief Steven J. Denning on paid administrative leave June 20, the Board of Selectmen has not taken steps to reappoint him for the beginning of the fiscal year, which started Friday.
The selectmen have appointed Lt. Fred Piechota as acting chief.
When asked why Denning was removed from his position, Selectmen Chairman Diane M. Panaccione said, “This is an internal personnel matter. We are reviewing issues with the chief and the Board of Selectmen is not prepared to make a decision to reappoint him at this time.”
Panaccione said that based on the advice of the town’s lawyer, she and other selectmen are making no additional comments about Denning and the fire chief position at this time.
Selectman Thomas Marino also said he was not going to comment on the Denning situation because it is an internal personnel matter.
Normally, the fire chief is reappointed for a one-year term at the start of each fiscal year.
Denning did not respond to telephone messages asking him to comment on the situation.
Denning was appointed fire chief in Brimfield in August 2000, when the selectmen at that time chose him to replace Fire Chief Peter M. Whitten, with whom the selectmen had been having a dispute.
Denning was assistant chief at the time he was appointed. Prior to that he had served as captain, lieutenant and firefighter in Brimfield.
The Brimfield Fire Department is part time, and firefighters are paid for calls they respond to.
The fire chief position is also part time, and the chief’s normal schedule calls for him to work 16 hours a week.
In the 1990s, Denning’s brother, Mark T. Denning, was a member of the Board of Selectmen.