RUMFORD – Things got hot Tuesday night when a selectman challenged a firefighter to step outside as town leaders and the department tried to wrestle with overtime costs.

The flare-up came after fire Chief John C. Woulfe III said most Fire Department overtime stems from the need to cover vacations and sick time. Woulfe’s solution: More firefighters.

“We can reduce overtime, but that requires hiring more people,” said Woulfe, who noted he had proposed three different scenarios for reducing overtime during the budget process, but each required hiring additional people.

Selectman Frank DiConzo wasn’t buying it, and that sparked an exchange between him and Deputy Chief Ben Byam.

“There is abuse. I’ll say that right now,” said DiConzo of departmental overtime.

When one of the firefighters in the audience appeared to have a smile on his face, DiConzo challenged him to go outside.

“Don’t you threaten to take someone outside,” shot back Byam.

Board Chairman Greg Buccina quickly moved to get the board and purpose of the meeting back on track.

The special selectmen’s workshop had been called specifically to address what some on the board believe are excessive overtime costs.

Town Manager Jim Doar said the department paid $104,000 in overtime during fiscal 2006, and $105,000 in fiscal 2007.

“Is it all necessary? We’re looking to make sure,” Buccina said.

Doar also noted that overtime is a factor in every municipal department and suggested that the issue should be looked at townwide.

Woulfe said most Fire Department overtime results from the need to cover the 47 weeks of vacation earned by firefighters annually, along with sick time. He said a so-called utility position, which often covers for vacationing firefighters has been vacant.

Among questions directed at the Fire Department was the need for being a first responder to medical calls and whether more on-site rather than off-site training could be held.

Selectman Mark Belanger and resident Len Greaney suggested changing from the current four-person team on duty at all times, to having three men on duty, a change he said could save about $100,000 annually. Belanger also suggested removing all call boxes in town and rerouting those calls to the Oxford County Regional Communications Center in Paris.

Jeff Young, attorney for firefighters Local 1601, appeared before the board to make sure that the most recent contract was honored.

He said the union did not receive a 30-day notice before the contract was reopened to change the firefighters’ schedule from 10 and 14-hour days to 24 on and 24 off.

“We did collective bargaining in good faith, and it was approved by selectmen,” he said.

He also acknowledged that he appreciated the board’s attempt to keep costs down.

Buccina and Byam both said they wanted to put an end to the discussion on firefighters’ overtime.

“The reason for this meeting is to end it. The citizens approved the budget, and a majority (in a straw poll) approved of the level of service. Chief Woulfe and Jim Doar will talk about what works best and come to us on Sept. 6,” Buccina said.

The board will also decide at the Sept. 6 meeting whether to lift the freeze they placed on the fire department for filling the utility position.