By Peter Currier
The Sun
BILLERICA, Mass. — Back in January, Fire Chief Robert Cole provided the town with a one-year notice that he will retire from the role, and now local officials and the town’s fire union are urging the town manager to keep the search for Cole’s successor within the department.
While Cole’s retirement is still months away, disagreement has recently arisen over Town Manager Chris Dillon’s move to open the search process up to external candidates. In a statement to The Sun Monday afternoon, Dillon said that as town manager he has “a responsibility to the community to hire the best and most qualified candidate(s) for vacant positions.”
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“These decisions should not be made based on political pressure, but on who can lead our department(s) by improving efficiencies, staying current with best practices and motivating staff,” said Dillon. “I am following the same hiring process through Civil Service that was completed 10 years ago when the Town hired Chief Cole.”
In a statement Thursday on social media, the Billerica Firefighters IAFF Local 1495 President Gary DaSilva said the department “doesn’t need to look across the state or the country to find its next leader.”
“We already have several outstanding candidates who have spent their careers serving this town. They’ve worked their way through the ranks, led firefighters on difficult calls, earned the respect of the department, and proven they can handle the job,” said the union statement. “What makes them even more qualified is that they know Billerica inside and out. Many grew up here, raised their families here, and have spent decades protecting this community. They know our neighborhoods, schools, businesses, roadways, and the people who live here. They understand this town because it’s their town. That’s something you can’t teach in a few months.”
DaSilva urged Dillon “to reconsider this decision and give our own firefighters the opportunity they’ve worked so hard to earn.”
“I truly believe Billerica will be best served by a chief who already knows this department, knows this community, and has spent a career protecting both,” said DaSilva.
The Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, the statewide union for Massachusetts firefighters, said in a statement that same day that the chief’s role should go to “qualified and worthy candidates within the Billerica Fire Department .”
“As a result, we implore PFFM members from outside departments to refrain from applying for the fire chief position in the Town of Billerica,” PFFM President Richard MacKinnon said in the statement.
That sentiment was echoed by a number of local officials, including most of the Billerica Select Board. Chair Mike Riley said in a statement Friday he had met with union officials and Dillon to discuss the matter.
“I have watched this group of Fire Firefighters raise their level of professionalism and heroism and have no doubt the most qualified applicants are within our department. I will continue to advocate for hiring from within our ranks in all town-held positions and building that foundation from the bottom up which is exactly what Billerica Fire has done,” said Riley. “I have faith that our leaders will rise to the top of any outside list but appreciate the confidence in showing them they deserve, and we the public deserve the best and that’s right inside our Department.”
Board member Dina Favreau said in her own statement Friday that she had drafted a policy proposal to make internal promotions the standard for the fire chief role, with a provision to expand the search externally if there are no qualified internal candidates.
“Our firefighters have dedicated their careers to serving the residents of Billerica. They have invested years developing their leadership skills, gaining operational experience, and building an understanding of the unique needs of our community,” said Favreau. “When we have qualified individuals who have demonstrated the knowledge, experience, and commitment to lead, they deserve the first opportunity to do so. Promoting from within not only recognizes that dedication, but also provides continuity, preserves institutional knowledge, and reinforces a culture where hard work and professional development are rewarded.”
Board member Mike Rosa said in a statement he was “very disappointed to learn that the Town Manager went to civil service and requested applicants outside of Billerica to fill the Fire Chief’s position.”
“I had strongly advocated for staying internal because we have a lot of very qualified candidates. The reason we have such qualified candidates is no accident,” said Rosa. “Chief Cole and former Town manager John Curran restructured the fire department so we would have cross-training with the officers, to better prepare for them to move through the ranks. I feel very strongly that we want the best qualified candidate but we should always look for an internal candidate first.”
Rosa proposed a similar policy to Favreau’s to prioritize internal search when vacancies open up for the police or fire chief positions in town.
An internal search was also supported by board member Daniel Darris-O’Connor.
“I believe in a simple principle: if you work hard, and prove yourself over the course of a career, you deserve a fair shot to advance within your career,” Darris-O’Connor said in a statement. “That’s not just fair. It’s how you build trust and loyalty within a department, and it’s how you keep good people invested in their future here instead of looking elsewhere.”
State Rep. Marc Lombardo said Billerica firefighters “possess something that no outside candidate can replicate: a deep understanding of our department, its personnel, and the Town of Billerica.”
“Many have devoted their entire careers to serving this community and have earned the respect and trust of their fellow firefighters and residents alike. For many members of the department, becoming Fire Chief represents the culmination of a lifetime of service and professional development,” said Lombardo. “Opening the position to outside candidates would not only diminish those aspirations but could also have a significant negative impact on morale throughout the department. Our firefighters should know that hard work, dedication, and years of service create a genuine opportunity to advance into the department’s highest leadership position.”
In a phone call with The Sun Tuesday morning, Cole declined to give his thoughts on the matter, but said that he had spoken with Dillon and gave him advice, but that “it is his decision.”
Cole said he gave a full year of notice for his departure to comply with personnel bylaws, and that he chose to do so now because he had maxed out his retirement benefits. His plan after retirement is to travel, but Cole did not rule out taking another job in the future.
Should fire chief positions be filled from within whenever qualified candidates are available, or should departments always conduct a nationwide search for the best leader? What hiring approach has worked best in your department, and why?
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