Nearly three years after consultants submitted a $31,500 report with 20 recommendations on how to end the turmoil in the Sackville Fire Department, multiple sources tell Warktimes that morale still remains low among volunteer firefighters.

The former town of Sackville hired the Montana Consulting Group to investigate working conditions after Warktimes published reports in April 2021 revealing that persistent bullying, favouritism and the flouting of safety rules had led to the resignations of about 17 volunteer firefighters over a five-year period.

In a sworn affidavit submitted to New Brunswick’s Court of King’s Bench in March, Tantramar Councillor Bruce Phinney says that volunteer firefighters have told him that the workplace problems have not been resolved.

The affidavit adds that the firefighters themselves haven’t been provided with any follow-up since the Montana recommendations were first presented to them in September 2021.

Phinney filed his affidavit in his unsuccessful attempt to persuade a judge to order the release of the Montana recommendations.

Mr. Justice Jean-Paul Ouellette ruled that the recommendations could not be made public under New Brunswick’s Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act because they concerned personnel matters that must remain confidential.

New bylaw

Former Sackville CAO Jamie Burke

Although the recommendations have never been released publicly, former Sackville CAO Jamie Burke told Warktimes in 2022 that most are contained in the new fire department bylaw that the town passed nearly two years ago.

That new bylaw gave more power to the fire chief and CAO:

—the old fire department constitution and internal bylaws, which gave firefighters the right to elect their own officers as well as a say in the hiring of new members, was eliminated.

—standard operating guidelines developed over the years by the firefighters were replaced by policies and procedures written by the chief in consultation with firefighters and the CAO and approved by town council.

—the grievance committee, which had never been set up, was replaced with a complaint procedure requiring volunteer firefighters to discuss their complaints with the chief and then, with the CAO.

The new bylaw complaint procedure directs aggrieved firefighters to the chief with an appeal to the CAO

—firefighters became part-time employees with higher wage rates. (Treasurer Michael Beal says current hourly rates for firefighters in Tantramar range from $15.30 to $17 while non full-time secretary/treasurers, chiefs and deputy chiefs have an additional honorarium that ranges from $1,000 to $4,500. He emphasized that these rates are under review. Fire Chief Craig Bowser is classed as a manager level 3 with a salary scale ranging from $70,473 to $93,964 as of January 2023.)

— as part-time employees, firefighters are subject to the town’s social media use policy which bans any commentary that would reflect badly on how the town is run

—firefighters must refer any requests for information or comment from the media to the fire chief.

Other recommendations

It’s understood that the Montana consultants made several other recommendations including:

—clarify the town’s expectations regarding the role and duties of the fire chief

—provide proper training for each firefighter and for each supervisor

—the chief should conduct firefighter performance reviews on a timely basis as determined in consultation with the CAO

—the CAO should get feedback from the firefighters at least every three years regarding the performance of the chief.

Final note

Warktimes helped Councillor Phinney prepare his court case seeking public release of the 20 Montana recommendations.

To read Phinney’s pre-hearing court brief, click here.

To read the Town of Tantramar’s response, click here.

To read Judge Ouellette’s decision, click here.

As the court documents show, the Montana recommendations were discussed by Tantramar Town Council in a closed meeting on March 12th, two weeks before Phinney’s court date on March 28. Councillor Phinney did not provide any information to Warktimes on the Montana recommendations.