Paul Tennant
The Eagle-Tribune
HAVERHILL, Mass. — The Bradford fire station will remain open while talks continue with the firefighters union to find a way to keep it open, Mayor James Fiorentini said yesterday.
The station was slated to close tomorrow.
But Fiorentini said he and Local 1011 of the International Association of Fire Fighters have worked out an arrangement to keep the station on South Main Street open at least through the weekend.
Fiorentini said earlier this week that the union’s refusal to go along with a scheduling change was the cause of the station’s imminent closure.
“Firefighters Local 1011 and I have been working closely together to come up with creative solutions to keep the station open. Those discussions continue and we are making progress. While the discussions continue and while progress is being made, the station will remain open. There will be no further comment on contract negotiations at this time,” Fiorentini said in a statement.
“That sounds good,” said City Councilor David Hall when told the Bradford station will stay open for now. At Tuesday night’s council meeting, Hall confronted the mayor, telling him he believed there was enough money in the Fire Department’s budget to keep the station open.
Hall met with several owners of businesses in the Ward Hill Industrial Park yesterday and told them the city is trying to keep the station open until July 1. After that date, Hall said he hopes federal stimulus money can be used to keep the Bradford facility functioning.
The business owners are concerned their insurance premiums will increase if the response time from the nearest fire station increases, Hall said.
Copyright 2009