By Daniel Drainville
The Day
NORWICH, Conn. — Attorneys for the city and Yantic Fire Engine Co. No. 1 have agreed Thursday to enter mediation to resolve a dispute after the city closed down the volunteer company and repossessed its fire trucks.
Both sides have filed lawsuits in the matter.
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A hearing on the case had been scheduled Thursday afternoon in New London Superior Court on Yantic’s request that a judge order the city to return the trucks until a final ruling is made.
But 10 minutes before the hearing, the city’s legal team comprised of Corporation Counsel Aimee Siefert, previous counsel Michael Driscoll and attorney James Williams strolled out of an elevator and left the building. As they exited, they explained that shortly before the hearing, they and Yantic’s attorney, Mark Kovack , had agreed to continue the case until April 15.
That continuation will allow time to hold two days of mediation, during which the two sides will try to settle the dispute outside a court hearing. Judge Daniel Shapiro will now set the mediation date.
Proceedings in the case will now be halted until April 15.
The subject of Thursday’s hearing was Yantic’s motion for a temporary injunction, to force the city to return all fire trucks and equipment it took away when it shut down the Yantic department on Feb. 10 for failing to sign an agreement to comply with the city’s August 2025 Unified Command policy. The policy, rolled out by City Manager John Salomone and Wilson, established a new command structure for the fire services, with Wilson at the top. It also standardized training, communications and emergency response protocols.
Before the trucks were taken away, the city had already cut Yantic off from city funding and removed it from the city’s 911 alert system.
City Fire Chief Sam Wilson, in an affidavit accompanying the initial complaint, charged that he was locked out of the Yantic station as he tried to repossess the five trucks. Wilson alleges that as he tried to get in the locked station, which is owned by the department, members of the fire company were across the street waiting for (him) to leave so that they could presumably re-enter.” The Yantic department denies his claim that he was locked out, explaining that the station is usually kept locked.
The city ended up getting the trucks the next day, after Yantic Chief Bobby Allen was served with a temporary injunction. The city put the trucks back into service the next day. One is now stationed in a Yantic substation with three firefighters at all times.
The city, in a motion filed Wednesday, now claims equipment on the trucks is missing.
The motion seeks contempt charges against Yantic because it alleges there is missing equipment such as hand tools, hydraulic extrication equipment, hose nozzles and fittings, gas-powered saws and air tanks. It charges that the missing equipment violates the temporary injunction the city obtained to repossess the trucks.
The motion further states the equipment is necessary for the “proper operation of the fire trucks and the removal of the equipment has hampered the city’s firefighting duties. It asks the department to immediately return all the missing equipment to the city.
Yantic’s countersuit seeks to dismiss the city’s claim to the trucks, permanently restore Yantic to service and put the city-owned equipment back in its control.
Another lawsuit, filed by Kovack on Feb. 23 on behalf of the Yantic, Taftville, Occum and Laurel Hill departments, seeks a declaratory ruling on whether or not Wilson and Salomone exceeded their authority under the city charter to establish the August 2025 Unified Command policy.
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