Coventry resident files petition against fire district head

By: Rebecca Turco

Email: rturco@abc6.com

COVENTRY – A renewed push to save the drowning Coventry Fire District from financial misery.

Roland Gamelin, a resident and former deputy fire chief, started the petition to the district to recall and remove Fire District Board Chairman Frank Palin. Gamelin told ABC6 News he collected 107 signatures. Only 80 are needed to call a special meeting.

“If he can't lead, then he needs to step aside,” said Gamelin.

The district is dealing with a deficit of more than $900,000. Palin said the district was essentially bankrupt long before taxpayers elected him in December of last year.

Palin wasn’t phased by the petition. “If it took that type of effort to try to muster something to have me leave, it's not going to work,” he told ABC6 News.

Gamelin is blaming the chairman for not doing enough. The district is costing $8,000 a day to run. “They're having trouble making base payroll, yet they still haven't done anything about the overtime,” Gamelin complained.

But Palin said he has tried eliminating overtime to cut costs. “We have been trying to work with the union and we have been unsuccessful so far,” he explained.

Taxpayers recently voted down a tax increase to save the district. As it stands, the district could run out of money in a few months or even weeks, according to Palin. “We are fighting for the taxpayers,” he said.

Palin feels now is the time to work together to figure out solutions, instead of pointing fingers, while Gamelin won’t be giving up that easy.

Gamelin filed the petition directly to the district's tax office and their attorney is reviewing it now.

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