Rutland firefighters union turns against chief

RUTLAND — The city firefighters union issued a vote of no confidence in its fire chief last week, further complicating efforts to resolve a dispute over the department’s budget.

According to union President Seth Bride, members of the union’s executive board waited for two hours with their laptops open in anticipation of an email from Chief Michael Jones explaining a proposed restructuring plan. It didn’t come.
Rutland fire department

The following day, just a few hours before a special Board of Aldermen meeting to discuss the fire budget, Mayor Chris Louras and Jones distributed a three-page draft of the plan aimed at overhauling the department’s approach to fire safety and prevention.

The plan calls for the appointment of an assistant chief who “will act as a coach, mentor, and a liaison between management and labor,” and a fire prevention training officer who will focus on public safety and community outreach.

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2017/01/30/rutland-firefighters-union-turns-chief/