Departing chief sees need for growth

John Kyle will leave his post as Marlborough fire chief in August "with a smile" on his face but with one hope: that the city does more to beef up staffing.

"My biggest concern is we're having more incidents," Kyle said. "We have to expand our base here and decrease our response times."

As Marlborough has grown, so have calls to the Fire Department, he said. According to census figures, since 1990 the city's population has grown by about 6,000 people to 38,000.

Local officials estimate that at least 20,000 people drive into Marlborough most weekdays, many to high-tech jobs and Solomon Pond Mall.

Two years ago, the City Council cut the number of firefighter positions, Kyle said. Six of the city's full-time firefighter positions were eliminated, although one position has since been reinstated. The Fire Department employs 75 people.

City Council president Robert Katz said the cuts were necessary because of declining state aid. He added that the Marlborough Police Department also cut three positions.

"I would love to do more, not only for the Fire Department but for the Police Department as well," Katz said. "Both are understaffed right now."

Katz called the level of fire protection "only adequate," adding that "adequate lends itself to problems in the future." He pointed to the fire station on the east side of the city, where he lives, which isn't fully staffed at night.

Katz said the city is caught in a financial squeeze. Revenues aren't keeping up with expenses. For example, he noted that the vacancy rate for commercial property has risen to nearly a third, eroding the tax base. Meanwhile, the cost of health insurance for city employees has soared.

This year, property taxes increased 12 percent for the average family, one of the largest tax increases in years. Mayor Dennis Hunt is expected to unveil his budget proposal in the spring. Hunt was on vacation and could not be reached for comment.

Kyle's current base salary is $84,613. The mayor will appoint a new fire chief and his selection must be approved by the City Council.

Kyle said he hoped to see firefighters reinstated, not only for public safety reasons but for their own safety. Some of the longest response times include the six to seven minutes it takes firefighters to get to the mall, he said, adding that he would like to see it reduced to three or four minutes. Kyle would like to see another station added in that part of the city.

Kyle joined the department full time at 22. He became acting chief in 1995 and permanent chief two years later. Now 55, he said it was "time to move on." He is considering becoming a consultant.

Megan Woolhouse can be reached at woolhouse@globe.com.