The more than 100 voters who packed Fire District No. 1's engine house on Wednesday, May 11, unanimously passed the district's $585,000 budget for fiscal year 2017, but not without contention regarding salaries.

Most of the meeting was dedicated to discussion about Fire Chief Brad Ellis’s salary, who started February 1 with an agreed-upon $77,000 salary. For fiscal year 2017, his salary was contracted to jump to $85,000, and increase by an additional $5,000 in both FY 2018 and 2019, said Ellis. The amounts, however, are subject to approval by district taxpayers.

“All of that is subject to appropriation by the legislative branch, which is you,” said Anthony Savastano, attorney for the district, to the crowd.

Prudential Committee chairman John Haran broke down comparative salaries in the area, and pushed to lessen Ellis’s contracted salary to $78,540. Haran had originally voted against the $85,000 offer.

Deputy chief Stanley Bettencourt countered with his own comparison, taking into account not only salaries of local chiefs, but also the number of people they serve.

“We’ve been kind of not very good at giving raises,” he concluded. He also noted that the fire chief is the only full-time firefighter in District No. 1. “No one gets a benefit,” he said, referring to the staff of call firefighters.

Upon a show of hands, district voters passed the $85,000 salary in a 58:54 vote. A second article—which had been inserted by a petition from voters and aimed to pay the chief $78,540—was then not acted upon.

“It was democracy in action,” said Haran. “It’s not up to me to win or lose, it’s for me to honor the voice of the people.”

Prudential Committee member Joe Sylvia agreed.

“Everything was subject to the voters,” said Sylvia, who had originally voted for the $85,000 salary, but voiced a change of heart. When asked why he flipped, he responded, “No comment.”

Ellis expressed relief after the meeting. When asked if there were any hard feelings, he said, “That’s the beauty of John. He goes the way he says he’s going to go.”

Voters also passed a raise in the deputy chief’s pay, bumping it up from the budgeted $12,750 to $16,000.