NORTON — Town Manager Michael Yunits, Police Chief Brian Clark, and Fire Chief Shawn Simmons wish to share the following information regarding ballot questions on police and fire Civil Service.
The 2024 Town Election will be held on Saturday, April 27. As part of the election, Norton residents are being asked to vote on two ballot questions regarding the Police and Fire Department’s proposed exit from Civil Service.
On Oct. 23, 2023, Town Meeting voters approved an article to allow the Fire Department to exit from Civil Service. The April 27 ballot vote will serve as the final step of this process.
Employee recruitment and retention are among the biggest challenges in today’s public safety field. Should the departments leave the Civil Service process, hiring will be based on educational attainment, certifications, academy completion, and work history, rather than Civil Service exam results.
“We have a public safety hiring crisis with low supply and high demand that requires better flexibility and a larger pool of candidates that Civil Service does not provide,” said Chief Clark.
This process will allow both departments the ability to hire without the Civil Service restrictions including mileage proximity, age, and transfer status.
The proposed exit from Civil Service, as well as the replacement policies and procedures, have been agreed to by the unions as part of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which is slated to go into effect on July 1.
The town has worked collaboratively with the unions and department heads through impact bargaining and the development of new policies and procedures. These policies and procedures will supplement and address items that are currently covered under Civil Service including new hires, discipline, seniority, layoff, recall, and the promotional process.
“I am excited for us to be able to draw new hire candidates from a larger pool while having the ability to hire the most qualified applicant,” said Chief Simmons. “The new promotional process will also benefit our department as it was developed in collaboration with the union and will allow us to tailor exams so they are relevant to our department’s operation and mission.”
Area towns that have recently exited Civil Service include Mansfield, Foxboro, North Attleborough, Plainville, Easton, Walpole, Norwood, Franklin, Sharon and Avon.
Below are some important questions for residents to consider:
What does a “YES” vote mean?
A “YES” vote will indicate that residents support the decision of the departments to exit from Civil Service. Exiting from Civil Service will allow the police and fire departments more flexibility with regard to recruitment and retention by advertising open positions and selecting candidates from a larger candidate pool. This process will allow both departments the ability to hire without the Civil Service restrictions including mileage proximity restrictions, age restrictions, and transfer restrictions.
What does a “NO” vote mean?
A “NO” vote indicates that residents do not support the decision of the departments and Town Meeting and wish to retain Civil Service.
###