The following letter was sent to the Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator Tim Bragan this week:
My wife and I would like to voice our displeasure with the selection process you have chosen in pursuit of Harvard’s next fire chief. I am a lifelong resident of Harvard and former firefighter. To have the candidates from the present department eliminated from the top three due to “lack of experience” speaks volumes about your criteria for this position.
It appears that the selection committee wanted to cover themselves in hiring a new chief whose resume was impressive, rather than hiring the best person for this community. Greg Harrod has been a member of the department for more than 25 years and is considered an exemplary firefighter (with multiple letters of recommendation) and a respected businessman. He has been an avid, contributing member of this town for 42 years. The fact that the most qualified candidate was not permitted to continue the selection process because he “lacked experience” is unacceptable. This department has prospered since its inception based upon volunteers who live to serve the community. For more than 25 years Greg Harrod successfully performed every job in Harvard’s Fire Department at one time or another. These have ranged from training officer, tanker driver, SAFE committee member, to assuming command of a fire situation when first on scene.
When people think of Harvard, they feel a sense of community. Greg Harrod demonstrates that on a daily basis by keeping this community educated and safe. This starts with the SAFE fire prevention program in our schools, where children, including my own, are educated in a multi-modal approach regarding fire safety and prevention. How many of your fire-chief candidates are invested in educating young people, and have served on a SAFE committee?
If the selectmen truly want the best candidate for this community, they would have “the candidate with the most experience in this town” progress onto the next round in the interview process, in pursuit of the Harvard fire chief position.
Justin and Cara Morine
Eldridge Road
