HUDSON – Concerns about staffing levels at the Hudson Fire Department and Hudson Police Department were voiced by department leaders.
During the Jan. 23 Select Board meeting, town staff from the community development, finance and IT, library, public works, fire, police and recreation departments presented their budget and capital plan requests.
During his presentation, Fire Chief Bryan Johannes called for making staffing changes to Hudson’s line personnel.
“Hudson’s growth and volume since the last significant staffing increase in 1988 demand changes that safeguard resident and firefighter safety,” said Johannes.
According to Johannes, the department’s staffing level is at 32 line personnel, and one firefighter is attending the fire academy with a second expected to begin in May.
“During the current fiscal year, we have attempted to streamline activities in the fire chief office. However, continued development throughout Hudson in the form of new housing, building renovations and any future development plans will continue to strain services in the fire department,” said Johannes.
He noted that the Enclave at Hudson will begin occupancy this year, and the department has begun occupancy inspections. The project will add 64 homes for the 55+ community, and Johannes said when staff visited the site, 15 had been sold and deposits were made on more houses.
Johannes also said there will be a 23-home subdivision off Old County Road, and the department has seen an increase in its services at other Hudson communities. That led to a revision of their contract with Patriot Ambulance to provide additional Advanced Life Support (ALS) Ambulance with weekday coverage guaranteed.
“When I first applied for the position of fire chief in 2018, the Massachusetts Municipal Association online post indicated [that] the town would be looking to add additional personnel,” said Johannes. “This has not happened since taking on this role, which is troublesome for me.”
Johannes’ original request for the fiscal 2024 budget was to add four firefighters, placing an additional firefighter on each of the four shifts.
An earlier version of the budget called for adding one new firefighter. However, Johannes said budgeting more overtime would increase both the daily staffing and minimum manning level while also using the existing staff.
The additional approximately $83,000 in overtime would bring all shifts up to seven.
The idea that the Select Board doesn’t want to add firefighters was the “furthest thing” from Chair Scott Duplisea and his fellow board members’ minds, said Duplisea.
Executive Assistant Thomas Gregory said it comes down to available revenue to Hudson and constraints under Proposition 2 1/2, and Duplisea also noted limitations under collective bargaining.
“We can’t just say, ‘Tom, add four firefighters. [Police Chief Richard] DiPersio wants another two police. [DPW Director Eric Ryder] wants another 10 DPW people.’ It can’t happen at the snap of a finger,” said Duplisea.
Member Shawn Sadowski added that if Johannes felt the overtime funds would help keep the town safe, they needed to look at staffing next year.
“We all know you’re understaffed,” he said.
When DiPersio presented the police department’s budget, he echoed concerns about understaffing.
“On the personnel side, we continue to see challenges in recruitment of new staff and look for ways to deal with internal factors, such as morale, fatigue, forced overtime, etc.,” DiPersio said.
He said the current conditions “make it difficult” to both find and hire qualified candidates.
DiPersio echoed the department’s experience related to the growth in Hudson and increased call volume as well as police reform and P.O.S.T. mandates add to the demand they face. This makes the police staffing concerns unique, he said.
According to DiPersio, the department did not receive the funding request for two requested patrol officer positions for the fiscal 2023 budget. He said it was presented again for this budget.
Included in the fiscal 2024 budget is one position.
New facilities division
Additionally, the town is proposing to create a facilities maintenance division that would be under the DPW. Ryder said that the budget included a facilities manager as well as two custodians.
With this move, Hudson would be transitioning to a new model. According to Ryder, the town had an outside contractor for years. The facilities manager would help plan longterm repair of Hudson’s buildings and their maintenance.
“The town has invested significantly in some new buildings over the years and potential more to come,” said Ryder.
According to Ryder, the department has plans to build out this division over three years, including bringing on maintenance staff, electrician, plumber and HVAC tech.
“That will help in not only what we pay out to subcontractors in plumbing and electrical, HVAC, we’ll be able to do a lot of that in house,” said Ryder.
