After a series of stinging defeats regarding the Watertown Fire Department, Mayor Joseph M. Butler Jr. insists he’s not going to back down.
“It’s frustrating to see,” he said. “But I’m dedicated to fight the good fight I’ve been fighting. I can sleep at night knowing that I’ve been trying to do what I think is right for the taxpayers.”
Last Monday, Mayor Butler opposed applying for a federal three-year grant that could lead to hiring four additional firefighters. In March, he proposed hiring a Washington, D.C., consultant to complete a study on the operations of the fire department. As a cost-saving measure, he also wanted to expand a policy prohibiting firefighters from getting called into work not only if their colleagues are sick but also when they’re on vacation, have scheduled time off or for bereavement.