Newry ordinance, land swap questions answered

NEWRY — Revisions to the Fire Department Ordinance, which include changing the term of chief from two years to one, are being made to bring the local law into compliance with the department’s bylaws, town officials say.

Other changes include one assistant chief instead of two and adding the position of captain.

“We don’t have to bring the bylaws to the people for a vote, but we do have to bring any ordinance changes to the people,” Fire Chief Bruce Pierce said at a public hearing Tuesday night. “It’s just a matter of bringing the ordinance up to date.”

Voters will decide on the changes at the ballot box June 14.

Resident Steve Wight asked Pierce about the differences between the assistant chief and captain positions.

Pierce said the assistant chief is responsible for assisting the chief and acting as chief in his absence. The captain is responsible for extinguishing fires, taking care of the station and ensuring vehicles are clean and ready to use.

Townspeople also will vote on swapping land at the Head of the Tide Cemetery beside Route 26 in North Newry near the Grafton Township line.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Gary Wight said when the Cemetery Committee surveyed graveyards, they discovered a discrepancy in the boundary. To rectify it, town officials and landowner Robert Cummings have agreed to swap some land.

“Basically, there are people buried on someone else’s land,” Town Administrator Amy Bernard said. “This will allow the selectmen to swap an equal amount of land with Cummings to make up for the boundary issue.”

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