In another step toward clarifying the town’s oversight of the fire department, Whitefield selectmen asked fire chief Tim Pellerin to present copies of all department policies and updated position descriptions by next Monday.
The telephone request followed an unsuccessful search by chairman Steve McCormick and board member Sue McKeen for a sexual harassment policy in fire department files during this week’s regular meeting.
Selectmen wanted to make sure they were correct in saying last Monday that they did not have and had not approved such a policy and could not recall its having been presented in the seven months since last July. At that time the fire and rescue service officially became a municipally organized department, as directed by a majority of voters in March 2010; Pellerin was hired as chief a month earlier.
McCormick said policies are “not legal until we adopt them.” He added, “We don’t have them here. We need them here.”
In addition, job descriptions the board signed off on early in 2009 must be updated and approved anew; job titles have changed.
The town’s fire service was provided then by three separate, independent associations with their own chiefs and their own policies. The town chief’s authority kicked in mostly at incident scenes.
As the present municipal organization evolves, McKeen said, “I think there’s confusion. What’s adopted by the associations has to flow through the board of selectmen.”
Discovered in the files Monday were records dated Jan. 21, 2008 and signed by firefighters who had had training on sexual harassment. No written policy was found.
Selectman Frank Ober stressed the importance of proceeding with “a clean slate” as a municipal department.
The board wants to review fire department papers before meeting with firefighters at their training scheduled for 7 p.m. next Mon., Feb. 14.
Before then, selectmen will also be examining a sexual harassment policy used by the Maine Municipal Association.
McKeen said whatever fraternization clause the selectmen include in the policy they eventually adopt should be vetted by the town attorney.
McCormick supplied a copy of Lincoln County’s personnel policy for board members to review.
Asked whether the town ever had a sexual harassment policy, administrative assistant Gwyn Dixon said she, “thought we had a one paragraph [policy]” dating from the 1990s or early 2000s, but she was unable to find it.
The harassment policy selectmen ratify will apply to all town employees, including volunteer firefighters.
In other business, the board drafted a letter to snowplow contractor Steve McGee. Among other issues, the selectmen were concerned about conditions on Philbrick Road following last week’s storm. The road was not completely plowed, a driveway was blocked, and a school bus had to back up the length of the dead-end lane.
