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Dalton Fire Chief Christian Tobin holds his accreditation from the state Fire Service Commission.

Dalton Fire Chief Earns Accreditation

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DALTON, Mass. — Fire Chief Christian Tobin has earned his accreditation through the state Fire Service Commission. 
 
The announcement was made during a Board of Water Commissioners meeting in April. 
 
"It is not an easy thing to do in the short time that he has been here, and the district is appreciative of everything he has done thus far for the department," to Prudential Committee Chair Daniel Filiault said during the meeting.
 
The state Fire Service Commission is a gubernatorial-appointed board that has established a process for uniform credentialing for fire chiefs 
 
During this process, Tobin had to submit several documents to the commission, including a resume that outlined his years of service, progression within the fire service structure, attendance at training and professional development courses,
 
It also required the submission of formal education achievements and participation in state and national certification programs.
 
This information was applied to a scoring matrix that assigned a point value to the various levels of accomplishment submitted by the candidate.
 
The applicant is awarded the fire chief credential upon reaching or surpassing the established minimum score. 
 
This credential signifies that the applicant has worked hard to acquire the specialized knowledge and skills required to be an effective leader in the fire service.
 
To keep this accreditation valid, Tobin must participate in recurring training and professional development programs approved by the Fire Service Commission and submit proof of completion every three years.
 
The Fire Chief Credentialing Program intends to compare the local officials' training and educational achievements to an established standard with a third-party evaluation
 
The state Fire Service Commission stated in its release that it believes that this process will assist communities' fire service leaders in facing the challenges ahead and ensuring that the fire service across the Commonwealth continues to provide the most effective fire, emergency medical, and rescue services that residents have come to expect.
 
The program is open to all members of the fire service in the commonwealth holding the rank
of lieutenant or above in a Fire Department. 

Tags: accreditation,   fire chief,   

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Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 
 
The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.
 
"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.
 
"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 
 
Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 
 
Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 
 
Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.
 
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