Mason formalized its new full-time fire chief position during Town Meeting Saturday, creating a three-year appointment for the position.

In a meeting which only took about an hour-and-a-half, according to Moderator Catherine Schwenk, voters quickly moved through 10 articles, passing them all unamended.

“It went smoothly, at least from my perspective,” Schwenk said. “We had a good turnout; that’s what’s important.”

Schwenk estimated more than 50 residents attended the meeting at Mason Elementary School.

Voters approved a $2.27 million budget after several questions, but no proposed amendments, according to Schwenk.

Article 5 requested the town establish a three-year term for the position of full-time fire chief, a position which will be appointed by the Select Board. The budget this year includes a salary for the position, creating the first full-time employee for the Fire Department, with the majority of the department being volunteer.

Chief Anthony Burns was officially sworn in as Mason’s first full-time chief in December of 2021.

Aside from the town’s operating budget, there were only two requests to spend funds this year on the warrant. The first was for $50,000 for the repair and maintenance of the town’s roads. The other was for $1,500, taken from the Forestry Maintenance Fund, to do maintenance on the Mason Rail Trail. Both articles passed by voice vote, according to Schwenk.

Most of the articles on this year’s warrant were additions to the town’s capital reserve accounts. Voters approved $50,000 for fire department vehicles, $50,000 for highway equipment, $5,000 for fire equipment, $5,000 for the fire station and $35,000 for the Town Hall renovation reserve.

During the meeting, members of the Select Board and town residents honored Schwenk, who has served as town and school district moderator for decades, with a plaque, a golden gavel on a chain and a bouquet of flowers.

Schwenk ran for re-election to the position again this year, but was unseated by challenger Dotsie Millbrandt.

“It was a very moving day for me after 36 years in service,” Schwenk said of running the 2022 Town Meeting.

 

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.