By Joan Simoneau, Contributing Writer
Marlborough – More than $11,000 in grants from two major state agencies, including health and human services and public safety, have been awarded to the Marlborough Fire Department. The City Council accepted the grants at the recommendation of Mayor Arthur Vigeant, at its Feb. 9 meeting.
The awards include a $2,000 from the commonwealth of Mass. Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) Department of Public Health, to be utilized to further train and enhance the local department’s readiness as a contributing member of the Mass. Decontamination Unit during public health emergencies.
The department also received $6,123 for the Student Awareness Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) program and $3,195 for the Senior Awareness Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) program.
All three grant opportunities do not require any matching funds from the city, according to Vigeant. The S.A.F.E. grants are annually recurring grants from the state and are instrumental in educating the community on various fire safety techniques and protection methods.
In other business, councilors referred to the Finance Committee a request from Vigeant to transfer $30,000 from various accounts to fund the hiring of a search firm that will assist the city in its quest to hire a new fire chief. The position, recently vacated by Chief James Fortin, is being filled by Geoffrey Herald on an interim basis.