BRAINTREE - The official record will show that town meeting last night rejected pay increases for three town department heads. But the real news was a pair of impromptu statements by Police Chief Paul Frazier and Fire Chief Gerald Kenney that were ultimately rendered meaningless - at least fiscally - by the final vote.
With labor contracts the dominant theme at last night's special town meeting, the chiefs took to the floor to turn down proposed pay hikes they had coming to them, out of respect for their contract-less employees.
Moments after town meeting rejected new contracts for the town's clerical workers and department managers - some of whom work for the police department - Frazier asked the assembly to strip language from the article granting him a $2,065 salary increase.
"It would be extremely selfish of me to take a pay raise when my employees didn't get one," he said. "I'm not trying to be a martyr, but until my employees get one, I don't think it's fair for me to get one."
Kenney did the same. Members of Braintree Firefighters Association Local 920 have been without a contract since their last one expired 18 months ago.
"I would prefer you gave my pay raise to my firefighters," he said. "They put their lives on the line every day."
Kenney also was in line for a $2,065 raise.
The gestures received loud applause from many in attendance.
While amending the article as the chiefs requested, town meeting members also removed the town's public works director from the list of department heads to receive raises.
Selectmen last week voted unanimously to not renew the contract of public works chief John McMahon.
Despite the chiefs' actions, the article, which would have given $1,406 raises to the town clerk, tax collector and accountant, was defeated after it failed to garner the two-thirds vote needed for passage.
It must be nice to have a Chief that sticks-up for his people.
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops
About MassCops, the home for Massachusetts law enforcement.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network opened in 1998 and is now a part of the New England Police Network The site is a pro-police discussion forum intended for sworn police officers and civilian law enforcement officials as well as those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement here in Massachusetts.
The goal of The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network is to provide an informal network of law enforcement officials here in Massachusetts for educational and informational purposes.
The forum covers many topics such as Police Related News Articles, Agency & Profession Discussions, Police Training as well as Law Enforcement Career Information.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network and The New England Police Network (NEPN) and it's network sites are privately owned websites/domains and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government association or agency.
MassCops (masscops.com) and (masscop.com) are privately owned are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (masscop.org)
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops