By Matt Collette
Publication: The Day
Published 01/20/2010
Groton- Discussion on a proposed study of staffing levels within the City of Groton Fire Department turned testy Tuesday night when a councilor asked a union representative a question that the committee's chairman deemed illegal, prompting an angry exchange and the councilor's abrupt departure from the meeting.
"I'm going to come out as devil's advocate again," said Councilor David Hale during a discussion regarding a proposal to hire an outside firm to evaluate staffing levels. "If they come up with a recommendation that we need a minimum level of four (firefighters per shift, as opposed to the existing minimum of three), will you be willing to make sure this doesn't wind up costing the city a lot more money?"
Hale's question was directed at Daniel Tompkins, president of the union that represents the city's firefighters, which has advocated a study of the fire department and argues that the force is not adequately staffed. Hale said people in the city, a political subdivision of Groton, had been asking him about an increase in costs and said he thought it was appropriate to raise the issue.
Before Tompkins could answer, Bill Jervis, a retired police lieutenant who chairs the city's public safety committee, criticized the question, calling it illegal under state law.
As Tompkins said the union would cooperate with the city, Jervis again tried to suspend the line of discussion.
"People can ask you that question," Jervis said to Hale, "but you can't ask the union that kind of question."
Hale stormed out of the committee meeting, which was held in a City Hall conference room just before a meeting of the entire City Council.
Later, Jervis and Councilor Celeste Duffy, who serve on the Public Safety Committee with Hale, voted to send the proposal to the council's Committee of the Whole, which meets on Jan. 25.
Before the meeting of the City Council, which followed the committee meeting, Hale told Tompkins he would have voted for the measure.
"Hey, for the record, I was going to vote for it," he said. "But I wasn't going to sit through that."