2024 Year in Review: Dalton's Year of Challenges
Christian Tobin is sworn in as fire chief in January after nearly a year of turmoil in the department. But Tobin also found himself on the outs when he was suspended in August.
There were also substantial strides made including progress on the town's climate action plan, historical initiatives, initiating a feasibility study to determine long-term options for a new police station, and more.
Here is what happened in Dalton in 2024.
Change in Government
After serving on the board for almost two terms, Select Board member Joseph Diver announced that he would be stepping down on Oct. 1. His departure kicked off discussions about whether to have a special election that ended with a citizens' petition forcing the board to call for an election to replace him in the new year.
Police Department
Dalton Station in Dire Condition
Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the Select Board in June about the dire condition of the police station.
The station, located in the basement of the town hall, has several issues, including plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damage to cells.
The Select Board subsequently hurried to develop short-term options to improve its condition, including allocating American Rescue Plan Act funding for sanitary plumbing upgrades and ventilation system installation.
Board members also agreed that long-term solutions also need to be developed, so established a Public Safety Advisory Committee to navigate its options.
The committee quickly agreed that the Town Hall is not a viable long-term location after reviewing documentation and touring the facility and other local police stations.
It was decided that a feasibility study is needed to examine the potential locations the committee narrowed down, evaluate the options, define the requirements, develop cost estimates, and ensure the committee's final proposal is well-informed.
The Select Board subsequently allocated up to $100,000 from the ARPA funds to cover the study and grant writing cost.
Check out our video showcasing some of the issues of the station here.
Lawsuit Filed Against Dalton, Police Chief, and Former Officer
The town, its police chief and former Sgt. Bustin Buzzella are facing a lawsuit following a high-speed police chase that resulted in the death of Ryan Griffin in May 2023.
The case was filed with the U.S. District Court on Oct. 7 by attorney Michael Heineman of Heinlein Beeler Mingace & Heineman P.C. on behalf of Kayla Jerome, the personal representative of Griffin's estate.
The lawsuit claimed that the town was negligent and violated Griffin's civil rights. In addition, it claimed that Strout and Buzzella violated Griffin's civil rights. The suit called into question the town and chief's hiring and supervisory practices.
More information here.
Fire District
Fire Chief Suspended/Under Investigation
The district is entering into the new year with uncertainty surrounding the status of Chief Christian Tobin's employment.
In August, Tobin was suspended over allegations of sexual harassment, grant overspending, and "employee concerns."
Tobin countered with a thick packet of documents alleging "unlawful departmental practices" and accused the district of having an unexplained deficit of about $183,084 in fiscal year 2023.
Tobin has expressed frustration with the district over how much it's charging to access public records, which include documentation such as incident reports, credit card statements, expenditures, pay stubs, and documents related to the Fire Department's fiscal year 2023 debt.
The Board of Water Commissioners says the deficit was caused by failing to budget for overtime and higher wages when the ambulance service began hiring paramedics. More information here.
During a meeting in September, the original four-week suspension was extended until the investigation into Tobin's conduct has concluded.
A meeting was planned to be held on Dec. 17 at the Stationary Factory to discuss the status of the investigation. However, it was canceled indefinitely because the district is still waiting on some materials, according to Water Commission Chair James Driscoll.
Tobin apparently does not have an employment contract, a practice of the district, and he is still being paid until a decision on the status of his employment is made.
Ambulance
Fire District voters approved borrowing up to $350,000 to purchase a new ambulance and any related costs.
This apparatus is an F450 series, a pickup-style, two-wheel drive, so it would have a larger motor and transmission, heavier-duty brakes, and be an all-around heavy-duty vehicle.
The station has two ambulances — a 2016 International and a 2019 Ford 50. However, only the Ford 50 still operates as an Advanced Life Support vehicle. It has been demonstrated both vehicles need to be replaced because of their deteriorating condition.
More information here.
Emergency Planning
Hazard Mitigation Plan Updated
During a meeting in August, the Select Board voted to adopt the town's updated hazard mitigation plan, which is now available on the website.
Emergency management consultant Jamie Caplan Consulting has worked with several departments, committees, and commissions to finalize the 365-page documents that aims to minimize the risk to people, property, and the environment.
The assessment identified actions to improve community resilience, such as flood risk mitigation for Pomeroy Manor, adding a generator to the Senior Center, and preparing Craneville Elementary School as a shelter.
The committee found that flooding, severe winter storms, and extreme temperatures are the highest hazards, while earthquakes pose the least risk.
Challenges include 85 buildings in floodplains, vulnerabilities in the electric grid and roads, risks from extreme heat, potential water supply impacts during droughts, and landslides that could isolate areas.
More information here.
Going Green
Climate Action Plan
The town's Green Committee has been working to develop a climate action plan that aims to guide the town toward achieving the state's net zero goal by 2050 by seeking strategies to decrease its dependence on fossil fuels for homes, businesses, municipal facilities, and vehicles.
The town has hired an environmental consultant, Blue Strike Environmental, to help them through the process.
The plan will need to be detailed enough that the town knows what it needs to do and when to complete each subproject on time. The work they do during the climate action plan is not one-and-done.
Blue Strike works to ensure the towns have the tools they need to meet their climate goals and expand on them, even when it is no longer involved.
Part of the development processes in community engagement, which the committee has worked towards with a climate action fair, a survey which the committee is in the process of analyzing, and developing a logo from artwork submitted by Wahconah Regional High School students.
Charging stations were installed at the CRA.
Charging stations have been installed at the Dalton CRA. The hardware for the level 2 station was installed in August and is now operational.
Historical
Second Historic District
The Historical Commission said during a meeting in October that the preliminary work for establishing a second historic district was nearly complete.
The proposed district starts at Park Avenue, where Main Street Cemetery is, and goes down to Depot Street. It then goes up High and North Streets. The state Historical Commission will review what was gathered and determine whether the district has a substantial enough historical significance to be considered a district.
More information here.
Lafayette Trail Marker Unveiled at CRA
Dalton is now included alongside many towns on the Lafayette Trail. The town unveiled its very own marker showcasing how, on June 13, 1825, Marquis de Lafayette was welcomed into Dalton at Nelson's coffee house while passing from Pittsfield to Boston. More information here.
Town Project and Other Dalton News
Bardin Property
After nine years of navigating regulations that complicated the sale of the so-called Bardin property, the town is rid of the land.
In November, the Select Board signed the property's deed to Thomas and Esther Balardini for $150,000.
More information here.
Orchard Road
The reconstruction of Orchard Road is projected to take place next year.
Orchard Road has suffered from flooding for years because of poor drainage. A new drainage system will replace the piping and catch basins, and the road will be repaved.
The town hoped to start construction last summer, but that estimate was overly optimistic because, at the time, it was unclear how long obtaining the two easements would take, Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson said.
This project has been six years in the making and is now possible thanks to the town's approval for a state MassWorks grant of $1 million. The grant will be used to address the street's drainage issues. More information on the grant is here.
More information on the Orchard Road project here.
Editor's note: this sentence was changed on Dec. 31 to clarify that the district is responding to Tobin's public records request with a cost estimate for researching and copying the records. The original sentence stated he was "frustrated with the district for not responding."
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