Fire chief vote revives talk of bias

For the second time in just over a year, Wrentham Selectwoman Jennifer Firth is under fire for making what some see as derogatory comments about town employees.

At a meeting earlier this month, Firth cited a "lack of . . . respect and kindness and honesty" in town as she cast her vote for an out-of-town candidate to be the Wrentham's next fire chief.

The board voted, 3 to 2, to select Mark Pare, the assistant chief of administration in Providence, over Jay McMorrow, the Wrentham department's deputy chief, who has been serving as the interim chief during the search process. Firth said she thought either candidate could do the job well, but she appeared to indicate that Pare would be better able to foster a sense of community.

"I think all the candidates are perfectly well qualified," Firth said at the meeting. "But I just don't want to get the middle finger from people when I'm driving by them, and I'm talking about town employees, and that's really what I'm looking for."

Critics say her comments reveal a bias against town workers.

"She has no faith in any town employee, based on her comments, to do anything," said Tony Marino, head of the local firefighters union. "She slandered all town employees."

"We're talking about the person who is in charge of the rescue squad, and she's going to make her decision because some worker gave her the finger?" said Patrick Moore, the Planning Board's chairman. "If you can't make a cogent decision because of that, don't you think you should just recuse yourself?"

"It's disappointing," said Bob Cohen, a candidate for selectman in next week's town election. "I don't understand the choice. I also don't understand how her personal feelings about the staff in town can so heavily color her decisions."

Firth did not return phone messages or e-mails last week requesting a comment. But Selectman John Zizza and the board's chairwoman, Mary Dunn, who cast the other two votes for Pare, said that he was the most qualified candidate and that they aren't biased against town employees.

"We had the resumes side by side, and he was more qualified," Dunn said. "I'm a little surprised that there is so much uproar."

The bias claims, Dunn said, amount to little more than sour grapes. "Either they feel like they didn't get their own way, or it's a bullying tactic to get their own way," she said.

Firth faced calls for her resignation last year after she referred in e-mails and in an open meeting to an unnamed police officer making an online death threat.

The Norfolk district attorney's office found no evidence that a police officer had made any online threat, but the controversy continued when copies of the district attorney's report, which contained Firth's Social Security number and date of birth, were distributed.

Firth referred to the incident in her comments about choosing a new fire chief.

"That was the most vindictive thing that ever happened to me," she said at the March 14 selectmen's meeting. "I just want things to stop here in town and make it like it used to be, and that's what I've really been looking for in choosing a candidate."

Selectman George Labonte, who voted for McMorrow, questioned why the incident would reflect poorly on the longtime deputy chief, who was not accused of circulating the report. "I think she had a personal agenda against Jay," Labonte said.

About two dozen people have told him they are disappointed that McMorrow was not offered the job, Labonte said.

State Representative Richard Ross, a Wrentham Republican who voiced support for McMorrow at the March 14 meeting, said he has also heard from disappointed residents, some of whom want him to push for speedy state approval of the town's recently adopted bylaw that would allow for the recall of public officials.

"I've heard from a lot of people," Ross said. "I've had no one suggest that they've made the right choice."

Dunn, on the other hand, said she hasn't received any calls questioning the decision.

"I think the majority of the people in the community would like to see this put to rest and for us to all move on."