Accountability Posts

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Residents have no voice in minimum qualifications for a position they funded

Sunapee voters approved a full-time fire chief position. The Firewards are now setting the qualification bar — education, EMT certification, training requirements — without public input. The job description goes to HR soon; posting could be live in weeks.

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Low public engagement and lack of competitive recruitment for a civic oversight role

Only one person applied for Sunapee's open fire ward seat. The board unanimously recommended Dana to the Select Board — with no discussion of whether outreach could have been broader. One candidate isn't a competitive process.

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Non-public session during a period of significant departmental change

Sunapee Firewards entered a non-public session under RSA 91-A:3 II(c) for a reputation matter — unanimous roll call vote at 7:34 PM. Legally permitted, but worth noting during an active chief search and staffing transition.

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Recognition ceremony for life-saving call participants

Bright spot: Sunapee Firewards are planning an April 1st ceremony to recognize personnel from a recent life-saving call — certificates and an equipment donation. The kind of community recognition that matters.

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Sunapee Board of Firewards met 3/19/26. A short meeting covering a fire ward replacement, fire chief job qualifications, and a recognition ceremony — but a few items worth tracking. 🧵

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1/ FIRE WARD SEAT: Only one person — Dana — applied for the open fire ward position by the deadline. The board unanimously recommended him to the Select Board. No discussion of whether outreach could have been broader to attract a competitive field.

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2/ CHIEF SEARCH: The board is finalizing minimum qualifications for the full-time fire chief — education, EMT level, certifications, social media background checks. This job description goes to the town manager/HR next, then posting with a 3-week application window.

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3/ The board is consulting with Chief Mansfield (free expert advice, to their credit), and a speaker articulated wanting to 'cast a decently wide net' while still requiring real experience. But there's been no public comment opportunity on what qualifications should look like.

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4/ NON-PUBLIC SESSION: The board entered a non-public session under RSA 91-A:3 II(c) — reputation matters — unanimous roll call at 7:34 PM. Legally standard, but notable given the active chief search and departmental transitions.

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5/ BRIGHT SPOT: The board is planning an April 1st recognition ceremony for personnel involved in a recent life-saving call — certificates, refreshments, and an equipment donation. Good to see.

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6/ Next meeting is April 2nd. That's when they'll review the approved job description and start the resume collection process. If you care about who leads Sunapee's fire and EMS services, that's the meeting to watch.

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Longer-form draft.

**Sunapee Board of Firewards — 3/19/26 Meeting Accountability Summary**

The Sunapee Board of Firewards held its regular meeting on March 19, 2026. Here's what happened and what residents should be tracking.

**Fire Ward Replacement:** Only one application was received for the open fire ward seat — from Dana. The board unanimously recommended him to the Select Board, with a speaker noting, "I'd be happy to have Dana take the spot. I think he'd be great." There was no discussion of whether outreach could have been broader to attract additional candidates.

**Fire Chief Search:** The board spent significant time reviewing the job description and minimum qualifications for the full-time fire chief position. Topics included education requirements, EMT certification levels, fire instructor certification, and social media background checks. a speaker described the goal of casting "a decently wide net" while still requiring meaningful experience. The board is getting free expert consultation from Chief Mansfield. The job description goes to the town manager/HR for final review, then the position will be posted with a 3-week application window. No public comment opportunity has been offered on the qualification standards before the posting goes live.

**Recognition Ceremony:** The board is planning an April 1st ceremony at 6 PM to recognize personnel involved in a recent life-saving call. This will include certificate presentations and an equipment donation — a genuinely positive initiative.

**Non-Public Session:** The board entered a non-public session under RSA 91-A:3 II(c) for a reputation matter, with a unanimous roll call vote at 7:34 PM. This is legally standard but worth noting during a period of active hiring and departmental transition.

The next Firewards meeting is scheduled for April 2nd, when the board will review the approved job description and begin the resume collection process. If you have views on the fire chief qualifications or the direction of the department, that's the meeting to attend.