The Williamstown Fire District is making plans to trade some responsibilities with the town.
On Wednesday, the Prudential Committee, which oversees the district, voted, 5-0, to allow its legal counsel to represent both the district and town in negotiations to move jurisdiction over street lighting to Town Hall.
In return, the Fire District is beginning discussions with town officials about transferring authority over the Forest Wardens, which currently is overseen by the police chief.
"As part of re-evaluating how we best serve the community, it seemed like a good idea to move the lighting to the town," Chair Richard Reynolds said.
The fact that it falls under the Fire District's purview at all is more or less a historical accident.
"It started in the 1900s when they were lighting candle lamps or oil lamps," Ed Briggs said.