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Lincoln County News, October 27th, 2010 edition

Whitefield Breaks Ground for Central Fire Station
By Lucy L. Martin

Attending the groundbreaking Oct. 25 for the centrally located Whitefield fire station
(left to right, front): Sue McKeen, Erik Ekholm, Tom Catalano, Averyl Catalano-Belyea, fire chief Tim Pellerin;
(back) Steve McCormick, Lynn Talacko, Herb Hartman, Frank Ober, and deputy fire chief Scott Higgins
(Lucy Martin photo)

The challenge of getting a new fire station and a reorganized Whitefield fire department has "paid off."

The phrase hovered over the Monday morning groundbreaking ceremony at the five-acre site beside the town office.

Building committee chair Erik Ekholm, who has worked doggedly alongside other volunteer committee members to bring the project to fruition, put out a call last week for a "golden shovel" to slice into the patch of field. While none materialized, the mood was high as successful bidder on the half-million-dollar project Tom Catalano offered a well-worn implement - a "working shovel," he said - from his pickup truck for the symbolic occasion.

Excavation begins this week, said Catalano, of Thomaston-based Catalano's Construction. During what he anticipates could be a four-month construction period, weather permitting, there will be from five to 20 workers involved in the building, which includes the rescue department.

"We're going to move as quickly as we can," said the site superintendent, whose presence will be marked by a small trailer on the property.

Fire chief Tim Pellerin commented on successes since voters approved consolidating the three fire companies into a municipal organization last March and building a central station.

That consolidation entailed taking a "good foundation and fine tuning it," said Pellerin. Rapid response to and quick suppression of an early Saturday morning fire on Hilton Road proved the point. "Everything clicked," he said. "The training, the enthusiasm has paid off."

Catalano and the town have a base contract of $461,350 to construct a three-bay 48-by-60-ft. station with a 40-by-52-ft. section for meeting room, offices, toilets, showers, and washing machines.

The town has borrowed $548,144 from the Maine Municipal Bond Bank. At March town meeting, voters approved borrowing that sum and making a first payment of $31,510.

After the ceremony, board of selectmen chair Steve McCormick said the additional money will be used for the architect's fee ($25,000), construction insurance, paving, and possibly a generator and exhaust system for truck fumes.

McCormick emphasized that the board hasn't agreed to extras such as the exhaust system and generator, although the latter, he said, is a good idea. "We can pick what we want to do," McCormick said, "and there might be alternatives that wouldn't cost as much" as is possible from the remaining $87,000 portion of the loan.

A building committee proposal to create a $750,000 town center on the same plot of land was defeated at 2009 town meeting.

Other town representatives present at the Oct. 25 groundbreaking were select board members Sue McKeen and Frank Ober; building committee members Herb Hartman and Lynn Talacko, who is also EMS director and architectural designer, of Wills Royal Barry Associates; and deputy fire chief Scott Higgins.

Lincoln County News, August 18th, 2010 edition

Fire Department Progress Reported to Whitefield Board
By Lucy L. Martin

Whitefield Fire Chief Tim Pellerin fulfilled a requirement of the town's recently enacted fire and rescue ordinance Monday when he reported to selectmen on inspection and maintenance checklists and draft leases for the three fire companies' buildings and equipment.

The ordinance states the chief is "directly responsible to the select board for the effective administration of the [fire and rescue] department," which was established by the ordinance.

Pellerin's report underscores the actual "changing of the guard" since voters last March approved consolidation. Previously three independent departments operated from each village, and the rescue vehicle was housed in North Whitefield's station. Construction of a new central fire and rescue building awaits funding before work can begin in the fall.

At the start of the new fiscal year, the heads of the three companies were named and a deputy fire chief selected. Scott Higgins, previously chief of Coopers Mills, came out of retirement and is now the town's deputy fire chief. Lynn Talacko was retained as EMS director; Tim Yorks was named captain of Coopers Mills, now identified as Company 5; Bryan Ross is captain of North Whitefield, now Company 2; and Randy Brann remains captain of Kings Mills, Company 3. Rescue captain is Frances Gauvin.

Coopers Mills firefighters earlier had not committed to becoming part of the municipal department, but Higgins confirmed Tuesday, "We are moving forward toward a municipal department." Higgins also said the company is still raising funds for a new building.

Before reconvening the transition committee, which includes three community members, and deciding how to proceed with the leasing arrangements, selectmen will submit the draft leases to the town attorney to be reviewed. The town will be the lessee and the companies designated the owners.

Pellerin said the lessee won't be changing signs or painting on the owners' premises and equipment.

Pellerin explained that vehicles will be inspected monthly and self-contained air packs, according to law, must be inspected monthly and after each use.

The chief also said he had started doing equipment inventory on each member's turnout gear. "This is what the public asked me to do and that's what I'm doing," said Pellerin.

In the current year, the $14,400 budgeted and approved for each company at 2010 town meeting will pay for everything (certain day-to-day items). Next year, Pellerin said, "The lessee will provide the annual operating budget for normal day to day operations."

Lincoln County News, June 16th, 2010 edition

Fire Department Changes Discussed At Whitefield Meeting
By Andrea Vassallo

Newly appointed Fire Chief Tim Pellerin presented his vision for the town's newly consolidated fire department at Monday night's meeting of the Whitefield Board of Selectmen.

For 64 years, Whitefield operated three separate fire associations, with three different stations. In March, voters decided to consolidate the three associations under one department, and approved funding for a new station. Two of the former stations will remain in operation.

While a small portion of the meeting was dedicated to describing the funding process for the new station, and answering questions about burn permits, the bulk of the meeting was dedicated to addressing the transition.

Jim Brann was Whitefield's Fire Chief for 15 years, but will not retain his position under the consolidation. Pellerin, one of only two applicants for the new position, and a former assistant chief for the town, was appointed the town's new fire chief by selectmen last week.

The selectmen briefly described the application process, in which three community members, along with the three selectmen, had the final say in the hiring decision.

Selectmen said Pellerin has "strong support" from the board, and that they hoped the community would support him as well. They added, "We want to make it real clear, we're very appreciative of [Brann's] time, dedication and service to this town. We have nothing but good to say about Jim."

Pellerin added, "He's a hero in this community. Jim Brann did a hell of a job."

The selectmen added that Brann "had not been fired," and that the town owed him a "debt of gratitude." Pellerin said Brann is now on a leave of absence, and that he had "not accepted a letter of resignation," although he later declined to clarify whether a letter had actually been submitted.

Of his vision for the new department, Pellerin said he'd be developing a code of conduct, creating new positions and a new chain of command, and was seeking to keep the lines of communication open. He asked the firefighters to contact him directly with questions and ideas, and added that he expected fire fighters to act professionally at all times. "When you put on the helmet, those boots, you're a representative of the town," he said.

Partway through the meeting, Brann, who was not present, received a round of applause for his years of service to the town, and the only comment from the floor during the entire meeting came from a resident who said, "I hope the selectmen will find some way to express our appreciation to Jim Brann."

Lincoln County News, June 9th, 2010 edition

Pellerin Sworn In As Whitefield's New Fire Chief
By Lucy L. Martin

With a 30-year background in fire protection and emergency services, Tim Pellerin was sworn in as Whitefield's new fire chief Monday.

The position, previously held by Jim Brann (see related story), was altered as a result of restructuring the town's fire protection services, previously delivered by three separate, independent companies.

Following a March referendum vote, Whitefield has a municipal volunteer fire department and there is a single chain of command for all activities and responsibilities.

Pellerin moved to Whitefield in 2005 when he became director of Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency and chief of the North Whitefield Volunteer Fire Dept.

The Westbrook native was still in high school when he chose the path of career firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT). He is a lead instructor for the Cumberland Fire Attack School.

Pellerin began his career in Brunswick in 1980 as firefighter/EMT, and held a similar position from 1985-2001 in Portland. Also, between 1985-94, he served in the Freeport Fire Dept. and was deputy chief of EMS.

From 1994-99, he lived in Gray and, as chief, ran the Raymond Fire and Rescue Service. When he started, there were 40 people in two stations, he said, "and when I left, there were 50-plus people on the roster."

Before applying for the Lincoln County EMA appointment, he was deputy fire chief in Westbrook for four years.

In 2009, Pellerin was one of 121 trainers nationwide to receive the Bronze Level Authorized Instructor Excellence in Training award from FEMA's Center for Domestic Preparedness, and he has successfully applied for $2.4 million in emergency service grants throughout Lincoln County in the past four years. One of those awards was for a new fire truck, housed in the North Whitefield station.

Pellerin said he applied for the Whitefield fire chief position "because I want to help make a difference - it's the same reason I started with North Whitefield VFD five years ago." That unit, which had been losing firefighters, subsequently grew to have the largest active membership among the three associations.

Pellerin's vision for Whitefield's reorganized fire and rescue department "is to build a new cohesive team by unifying the three existing organizations towards one common goal."

Queried about his leadership style, Pellerin said, "You can't ever forget you're a firefighter, even though you're fire chief or deputy chief. You're still a member even though your rank and title change. You just have more authority, more responsibility. You have to find people, utilize them for their greatest strengths."

According to the fire department position description, appointees are subject to completion of a standard probationary period.

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last modified: 09-December-2010