Editor’s note: The following press released was issued by Mayor David Narkewicz today. It announces the release of Human Resources Director Glenda Stoddard’s investigation into a series of complaints lodged against Fire Chief Brian Duggan by the International Association of Firefighters Local 108. Stoddard’s report can be viewed here. CITY OF NORTHAMPTON Mayor David J. [...]

Editor’s note: Mayor David Narkewicz has issued the following response to the press release sent to various media outlets this morning by the International Association of Firefighters Local 108, in which they publicly announced their April 1 vote of no confidence in Fire Chief Brian Duggan. Duggan’s response to the Local 108 can be found [...]

Editor’s Note: The Northampton firefighters union took a vote of no confidence in Fire Chief Brian Duggan on April 1, and informed Mayor David Narkewicz and Council President Bill Dwight on April 5. This morning, the IAFF Local 108 issued a press release on the matter, which can be found here.  Duggan has responded with [...]

NORTHAMPTON — A proposal by Mayor David Narkewicz to change the way the city’s ambulance service is funded got a green light from the City Council’s Public Safety Committee last Monday night, and is now headed to the full City Council, despite concerns expressed by Fire Department management and labor. The committee voted 3-1 to [...]

The ambulance “receipts reserved” account finished the last fiscal year with more than $860,000 in the bank, but on the 7th of July the City Council transferred $745,000 of that to various Emergency Medical Services accounts, including $450,000 for employee stipends. The EMS division is now self-sufficient and has outgrown its need for a dedicated [...]

The City’s Public Safety Departments Racked Up $200,000 in Overtime, Equipment and Clean-up Costs, Which Is Eligible for FEMA Reimbursements. NORTHAMPTON – State officials responsible for checking the safety of the city’s bridges and dams in the wake of Hurricane Irene have reported no problems, Northampton Media has learned. Edward Huntley, director of the city’s [...]

A single justice of the state’s highest court decided there were enough important questions about the State Police interrogation of Anthony Baye for the Supreme Judicial Court to take a closer look. NORTHAMPTON – The Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) will hear arguments in the Anthony Baye arson-murder case during its November session, when it will [...]

The defense team claims the local judge erred in not suppressing Baye’s confession, obtained during a questionable State Police interrogation. The prosecutor maintains detectives did not break the rules on Miranda warnings. NORTHAMPTON – Defense lawyers in the murder-and-arson case of Anthony Baye have appealed a judge’s ruling that, if it stands, will allow jurors [...]

  NORTHAMPTON — The City Council voted last Thursday to transfer $450,000 from the Fire Department’s ambulance receipts to pay yearly stipends for emergency medical personnel and department administrators, but not without vigorous protest and a lengthy debate. Audio: Council Discusses $450K EMS Stipend Transfer In a meeting chaired by City Council President David Narkewicz [...]

Councilor Gene Tacy’s bid to rescind $620K in fire department spending fell flat at last week’s City Council meeting. During debate, his fellow councilors blasted his efforts as disrespectful showmanship. NORTHAMPTON — City councilors spent almost an hour last Thursday discussing a order filed by Ward 7 Councilor Eugene Tacy to rescind more than $600,000 in spending [...]

EMS stipends defended; Tacy chastised by peers; Mayor rebuffs refrigerator complaint NORTHAMPTON — Fire Chief Brian Duggan and Deputy Chief Chris Norris made a command appearance at Thursday’s City Council meeting to defend the department’s practice of issuing fiscal year-end stipends to emergency responders. The occasion was a motion before the council’s Finance Committee to [...]

The proposed capital spending represent only about 5 percent of the total requests. NORTHAMPTON – Mayor Mary Clare Higgins will ask the City Council Thursday to consider spending a total of $1.97 million in transfers, borrowing and cash to pay for dozens of capital-project requests from city departments. The list ranges from switching over the [...]

The city’s Top 100 List of municipal wage-earners Northampton cops and firefighters rank highest, but school employees dominate the list. The mayor ranks 54th. NORTHAMPTON – The city’s top 100 wage-earners made between $68,000 and $143,000 during Fiscal 2010, according to city-generated records generated at the request of Northampton Media. Capping the Top 100 List [...]

NORTHAMPTON – All hope for a state bailout of the $94,000 in overtime costs from last December’s deadly arson spree has been dashed with late word from the state’s top public safety official that no funds are forthcoming. Mayor Mary Clare Higgins said yesterday that her recent request, submitted in writing earlier this month to [...]

NORTHAMPTON – City officials are hoping that Gov. Deval Patrick will stick to his word from five months ago to help the city defray some costs of battling and investigating the deadly arson spree that swept the lower wards last Dec. 27. Mayor Mary Clare Higgins said Thursday she was preparing a written document asking [...]