Adams Fire District Again Asking for Fire Chief Vote
ADAMS, Mass. — The Adams Fire District outlined its reasons for a full-time fire chief and is again asking the public to vote.
On Monday night, the Prudential Committee outlined information on a vote to be taken early next year at a special meeting on turning the fire chief into a full-time paid position.
Fire Chief John Pansecchi said the responsibilities of the chief have increased significantly and the hours he's been putting in over the last five years have been almost full time, in addition to his current full-time job.
The chief engineer is currently a three-year elected position with a stipend. The district has been advocating for years to make the post a full-time appointed position.
Voters have not been convinced, repeatedly rejecting the proposal. The most recent vote was in May and while the annual district meeting approved the idea, the article failed on the ballot 81-85.
The volunteer Fire Department currently has five fire engineers, three lieutenants, 19 members, five apprentices, and one part-time firefighter. Pansecchi reported that calls have increased, combined with the department's aging and decreasing membership.
As of Nov. 17, there have been 379 calls in 2025.
He pointed to changes in fire service and professional qualifications, and the fire code over the years, including a 240-hour certification program in Springfield that is difficult for Northern Berkshire volunteers to attend.
It's getting "scary," Pansecchi said, as the number who can respond to a call is hit or miss because they might be at their other job. He brought up a couple of recent calls where it was just him and one other volunteer who was older and not as able to fight the fire.
He discussed how this past Friday, the department received a call for a wire on East Street that no one was able to respond to. And there was a 15-minute response to another call before anyone was able to get there.
He discussed how many volunteer fire departments are struggling and that full-time chiefs were recently hired in Sandisfield, Egremont, and Monterey.
Back in 2021, the district had a study done that recommended a full-time chief and that it should begin to build and support a transition from stipend to paid full time. The Prudential Committee members said they back this proposal and believe it is necessary for a productive future with the Fire Department.
Also at the special meeting will the district vote on if the position of the clerk/treasurer should continue to be elected by district voters or appointed by the Prudential Committee.
With this change, the administrative department would be reclassified from four positions to three: clerk/treasurer, assistant clerk/treasurer, and administrative assistant. This proposal also failed at May's annual meeting.
This would not impact the budget, and compensation for each position would remain as voted at the FY26 annual meeting. Appointed officials would be selected based on expertise, require a medical exam and drug and CORI (criminal background) check, and report directly to the Prudential Committee.
The state Department of Revenue recommends appointing key financial positions to ensure they are qualified, and fire chiefs find it hard to put training requirements on elected officials. Currently, district voters elect officials every three years, though candidates aren't required to have specific experience or knowledge about fire or municipal operations.
"Fire chief and district clerk are very important positions. We would like to have them be appointed rather than elected," said Chair Thomas Satko.
"Right now, any elected official only answers to the people that are out there. And you know, they don't have to do the job. They don't have to show up, and there's nothing anybody can do about it."
The special town meeting is expected to be held in February with a vote in May in the annual election and will have no change on current or future budgets. If a full-time chief passes in the vote, the salary will be included in the FY2027 budget.
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