SANFORD – The Sanford City Council voted 5 to 2 at a special meeting Tuesday night to restore the position of fire marshal.
The action, taken one week after the 6 to 1 vote to eliminate the position as of June 30 and the $87, 355 in salary and benefits that went with it, was approved 5 to 2, with councilors Ayn Hanselmann and Maura Herlihy voting against the restoration.
The decision was made before a full house of firefighters, other city personnel, budget committee members and members of the public.
Sanford Water District superintendent David Parent was among several who spoke out in favor of restoration of the position and of Fire Marshal Patrick Cotter’s knowledge of fire codes and regulations.
Sanford Fire Marshal Patrick Cotter investigate sin the aftermath of a fire at Republicash on Main Street last month. The Sanford City Council, which had voted to eliminate the fire marshal position in the next budget a week ago, reversed course on Tuesday and voted 5-2 to restore it. TAMMY WELLS/Journal Tribune
“When you have someone local, you have local decisions,” said Parent.
The fire marshal conducts construction plan reviews and inspections for commercial building projects, is the department’s sole fire investigator and provides fire safety education, among other tasks. The fire marshal works with the codes office and engineering department on reviews of plans for medium and large businesses, and inspects a host of buildings for compliance, including multi-family dwelling units and premises engaged in medical marijuana cultivation, among others.
He is the city’s fire prevention officer and administers a number of other tasks, said Sanford Fire Chief Steve Benotti.
“His job description does not bring homage or testament to the many jobs he has to make this city strong,” said Benotti of the fire marshal.
Benotti said since the council cut the position a week ago, he has had countless people contact him in support of the position.
When he was hired as fire marshal several years ago, Cotter said the position was his dream job.
“Its still my dream job,” Cotter said after the vote. “I love working in this city. The best people you’re going to find are here in the city of Sanford. It warms my heart, the city is moving forward, and fire prevention is part of that.”
Mayor Tom Cote pointed out that the budget committee had made a number of cuts to the budget – including funds for parks and recreation projects, a police officer position and a number of others. He outlined numerous cuts in personnel at the school department – including the elimination of teaching, ed tech and other jobs, and reductions to part-time of some positions that had been full-time. In all, the school personnel cuts added up to $1.1 million, he said.
“It was not my intent to put the community in harm’s way,” said Cote of his original motion to cut the fire marshal job a week ago. He said he expected the duties of the fire marshal would have been absorbed by others in the fire department.
“I’m not looking to turn anyone’s world upside down, put the community in danger and upset the fire department and the union,” he said.
When it came to the vote, Cote was one of the five who voted in favor of restoration.
The restoration measure means the tax rate for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is projected at $21.06, or a 56 cent increase over the current $20.50 tax rate.
Sanford’s combined school and municipal budget for the next fiscal year is $84 million, of which about $34 million is funded by property taxes.
When the Sanford City Council cut the fire marshal position a week ago, it also eliminated funding for two new firefighting positions and a sign manager. An effort to restore those positions by hiring six months into the new year failed.
Hanselmann, one of the two councilors who voted against restoring the fire marshal position and funding the new positions at the fire department, said she voted the way she did solely for budget considerations.
“I have a strong opinion about the budget and the fact our mil rate went up so significantly,” Hanselmann said.
Herlihy pointed out that the firefighting positions were added based on receiving taxes from the solar array, but construction was delayed while the project awaited state environmental permits, which are now in place.
The City Council has the final word on the municipal budget; but the voters cast a ballot to validate the school budget.
Herlihy urged voters to support the school budget when it goes to a validation vote on June 11.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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