PARIS — The town will hold a public hearing on a proposal to amend its ordinance governing the Fire Department on Tuesday. 

Paris town officials and members of the Fire Department are expected to attend the public hearing to answer questions, but the proposed changes, first put forth by Town Manager Amy Bernard three weeks ago, condenses the ordinance from 13 pages to a page and a half. 

The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening in the Town Office. 

The new language gives the Fire Department more flexibility to adapt itself to different conditions from when the law was first devised, Bernard said previously. 

Primarily, it looks to address overarching concern that fewer firefighters are being asked to do more work by removing language which stipulated the exact number of captains, lieutenants and personnel the department was required to have on board. 

Fire Chief Brad Frost said those requirements were applicable 17 years ago when the ordinance was written, as the town could rely upon a volunteers from businesses. 

Those volunteers have disappeared with the jobs, Frost said previously. 

Voters will ultimately have the final decision whether the ordinance if town officials move the measure to the ballot. That vote is not expected to take place this year, a clerk at the Town Office said Friday. 

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