Wrentham Selectmen Discuss Fire Dept. Sick Leave Policy

Wrentham Fire Chief Jay McMorrow went before the selectmen at their meeting Tuesday night to discuss the department's sick leave policy.

McMorrow said the matter was brought up because of the recent car accident injury of firefighter Patrick Rockett. He said, as Rockett was new to the department, he did not have enough sick time accumulated to cover his three-to-four-month recovery period.

"The union approached me to see if we could start a sick-leave program," he said.

Town Administrator William Ketcham said he had examined the proposal, and sought advice from the town's attorney.

"They could draft a suitable item if we were putting something into the contract, for a sick-leave policy into the future," he said. "The essence of the problem is that we have one case here now."

He asked for the board's permission to negotiate a one-time agreement between the union and the department.

Selectman Michael Carroll said he was a bit leery of establishing a sick-bank program for one employee.

"Sick leave is collectively bargained," he said. "I'm not uncompassionate to the individual who suffered injury, but we have to be careful how we administer the contract that exists."

"What's going to happen is, the next time someone gets hurt and is a nice guy, it would be cold-hearted not to give him the same treatment," he added.

Selectman Stephen Langley, though, said the board needed to make a decision fairly quickly.

"I don't want to delay providing relief that's somewhat important," he said.

The board voted to give Ketcham authority to negotiate a solution with the union.

McMorrow said a fund to help Rockett had been established at the Wrentham Cooperative Bank.