Fire Department Resolutions

In response to a citizen petition in Spring, 2007, Ken wrote a resolution requesting that the Mayor end his policy of requiring that Newton firefighters get a doctor's note every time they are sick, regardless of whether they have ever called in sick before. Ken's resolution was passed by the Board of Aldermen by a vote of 15-6 on June 18, but has yet to be honored by the Mayor.

Ken also sponsored several budget resolutions asking that some of Newton's aging firefighting equipment be updated. Those efforts helped lead to the recent purchase of a new pumper truck and the replacement of old breathing apparatus and flashlights, but much more work remains to be done in this area. To this day, much of the equipment relied upon by Newton firefighters is in poor condition.

In addition to the employee treatment and equipment problems, the Fire Department suffers from deteriorating fire stations and a recent reduction in the number of pumper trucks. Ken has worked with colleagues to advocate the repair and renovation of our fire stations and the restoration of the pumper truck whose elimination has lead to increased response times.