Bernard J. Calvi is required to complete his bachelor's degree within 3 years, but a spokesman said he is on track to complete it by January
SPRINGFIELD - The city's new Fire Commissioner, Bernard J. Calvi, begins his tenure at the Springfield Fire Department with a 5-year contract but a 3-year deadline.
Under terms of the contract provided by the city's Department of Human Resources, Calvi has until Jan. 24, 2021 to complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree in fire sciences.
Sworn in last week, Calvi begins with a starting salary of $145,000, which is $15,000 less than what his predecessor Joseph Conant earned in 2017.
Calvi's contract stipulates he gets 30 vacations days a year, a $750 clothing allowance, plus a marked vehicle, and cellphone and laptop.
The contract also notes that he must live in Springfield, any raises will be based on an annual performance review conducted by the mayor, and he is not allowed to engage in "outside employment," with the exceptions of teaching, writing or consulting.
And while the contract notes he may communicate, either in writing or in person, with other city officials, it is clear that he reports directly to the mayor. He is required to meet regularly with the mayor "to review status reports, discuss issues and obtain direction."
When the post was advertised last summer, it stipulated several requirements in suitable candidates.
Among them were 10 years experience as a firefighters, including 5 years at the rank of district chief or higher, be a resident of Springfield, and either have completed a bachelor's degree in fire science or be enrolled in an undergraduate program and able to earn a degree within 3 years of appointment.
Calvi qualifies for most of criteria -- he's been a firefighter since 1992, a deputy chief in Agawam since 2012, and a resident of Springfield. The only part lacking is the education requirement, and he's working on that, officials said.
He earned an associate's degree with Springfield Technical Community College in Fire Services Administration in 1998. For the last year, he has been enrolled in Waldorf University majoring in fire services administration.
Waldorf University, based in Forest City, Iowa, offers its fire sciences program online. The program is a 4-year, 120-credit undergraduate program .
Fire Department spokesman Dennis Leger, Calvi's aide, said Calvi has seven courses remaining and expects to be finished with the program by the end of the year.
Leger said he had enrolled in it prior to his candidacy for the fire commissioner post.
Calvi also has numerous professional certifications related to firefighting including arson investigations and hazardous materials cleanup.
The allowance to complete his undergraduate work is not new with Calvi's contract. The same was offered to Conant when he was appointed fire commissioner in 2013.
At the time, Conant, a deputy chief with the Springfield Fire Department was midway through a bachelor's degree program at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
He earned his degree in business administration and management in 2016.
Conant was not reappointed fire commissioner at the end of his 5-year-contract. He has returned to the post of deputy chief.
The city had to modify its requirements for fire commissioner in 2013 prior to Conant's appointment. The post used to require a master's degree.
Other items in the contract:
- As part of his 5-year appointment, Calvi may not be removed from the post except for reasons other than "performance, moral character or any other just cause."
- If he steps down "following a formal suggestion by the city that he resign," the city must pay him the equivalent of nine months salary. If the formal suggestion were to come in the final year of his contract, the city would pay him the remainder of that year's salary.
- If Calvi were to resign on his own without any formal suggestion by the city, he needs to give 90 days notice and would be entitled to no severance pay.
- If in the 5th year, the city opts not to renew his contract, it needs to give him 6 months notice. Failure to do this, would result in another 6 months added to his contract.
Springfield contract with Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi uploaded by Patrick Johnson on Scribd