Selectmen Agree Roles of Fire Chief & Fire Marshal to Remain Separate

At their meeting September 26, the Board of Selectmen voted to keep separate the roles of town fire chief and town fire marshal.

All members voted in favor of the motion; Selectman Carol Walter abstained from the vote.

In the past, the person elected to fire chief by members of the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department was either the same person who held the role of paid fire marshal for the town, or different.  Confusing? Yes.

In previous years Oscar Allen was the fire marshal and chief. He stepped away from the chief's position for many years, then returned to the dual posts. He received a stipend as fire marshal during this time. One of the deputy fire marshals, Jeff Miller, at the time was also receiving a stipend and holding a position as assistant chief at the Fire Department.

The fire chief is not paid; the fire marshal receives a budget of $35,000 a year (2012 figures) which is distributed among the deputy fire marshal and the deputies. The fire marshal also receives a town vehicle.

Recently, the fire marshal and fire chief roles are again held by one person, Frank Schrempp.

"We voted to keep the roles separate," said First Selectman Willie Fritz. "Now Frank needs to come back to us and let us know what he's going to do. If he says he's not running for fire chief this November, we can appoint him as fire marshal at the next selectmen's meeting."

The separation of the roles also applies to the deputy fire chief and deputy fire marshal.