Milford committee hears case for three full-time firefighters, records split advisory support

Milford's Budget Advisory Committee spent an extended portion of its Jan. 7 meeting on a warrant article proposing three full-time firefighter positions.

Deputy Chief Ken (presenting) described response-time differences between fully staffed and volunteer responses, citing an insurance-services metric that staff-led responses averaged 5 minutes, 56 seconds to scene versus 12 minutes, 5 seconds for non-staffed responses. Committee members and staff discussed recruitment, retention, and a staffing model the fire department presented as a potential recruitment tool.

The article before the committee would fund six months of the three positions in 2025 (estimated $277,195) with a projected full-year cost of roughly $555,399 in 2026. Committee members flagged the multi-year budget implications: the full-year cost would be incorporated into the default budget calculations and thus affect future operating budgets.

The BAC recorded a preliminary advisory vote in favor of the article, with seven members voting yes and two members abstaining. Members who abstained said they wanted additional detail on multi-year impacts and on the communication to voters about how a half-year appropriation in 2025 yields a larger recurring cost in 2026.

The committee asked staff to provide a detailed three-year projection of costs and to return with recruitment and implementation timelines before the deliberative session scheduled for Feb. 1.