Report on Mass. Fire Chief's Performance Questioned

A town selectman is calling into question the qualifications of a consultant whose report accuses Sturbridge Fire Chief Leonard Senecal of myriad failures - including "deplorable and negligent" equipment maintenance. The 166-page report was completed on March 28 and includes a massive list of corrective action.

Selectman Mary Blanchard said Sturbridge in essence provided the consultant, Ernest Horn, founder of Municipal Consultants of New England, with on-the-job training.

In addition to his consulting business, Chief Horn is Mendon's police chief and fire chief. He has also been the acting town administrator for nearly two years, a position he will relinquish on May 1.

Asked how he is able to perform the duties of a fire chief, police chief and town administrator and run a consulting business, Chief Horn said: "I have a tremendous amount of vacation time that I have not taken and now" am trying to use.

He said the $3,000 Sturbridge was charged for the study was "a very good deal" and the market rate is much higher.

"My understanding is this is the first town he's looked at," Mrs. Blanchard said Friday.

"I don't think Chief Horn has had the experience investigating and analyzing. He is just starting a business," she said.

She said a copy of his resume did not list any previous communities where Chief Horn provided a comprehensive report on public safety operational preparedness.

"There is no backup on some of the statements made. ... I am not sure Chief Horn has done a report before," Mrs. Blanchard said.

Asked about the selectman's concerns, Chief Horn said the Sturbridge project is the most comprehensive he has completed to date and said his findings are a wakeup call for the town.

"I have done other reports," Chief Horn said. He said his consulting work has included assistance with hiring police chiefs, consultations on operational inefficiencies and evaluations of policies and procedures.

Asked for which other communities he has consulted, Chief Horn said he "cannot comment" and declined to identify any.

"I did not list any on my resume," Chief Horn said.

Mrs. Blanchard said a reference in the Horn report about Sturbridge Police Chief Thomas Ford makes no sense.

"While we were not tasked with reviewing the Police Department or Chief Ford's management skills, we did form the overall opinion that Chief Ford is a well-organized, skillful manager," Chief Horn says on page 97.

According to Mrs. Blanchard, Chief Horn's "reference to the police chief has no significance into the Fire Department, in my view."

The Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council includes a five-person Executive Committee of area police chiefs. Chief Ford and Chief Horn both sit on that panel.

Chief Senecal, 61, joined the Sturbridge Fire Department in 1975 as a volunteer, became full-time two years later and was appointed chief 29 years ago.

In an interview, the chief said the only fatal fire since he has been commander involved a 2-year-old girl who perished in a blaze on Bates Hill Road in 1984, his first year as chief.

Chief Senecal said no firefighters have been injured during his tenure because of equipment failures.

Asked if there have been machinery failures, the chief responded: "Not at the scene." He said that either he or Capt. John C. Marinelli are present at all major fires and do not take vacation at the same time.

Contacted last week, Selectman Mary Dowling said she has many questions but declined to comment - but plans to ask them at tonight's meeting. Board Chairman Thomas Creamer did not return calls.

Sturbridge selectmen meet today to discuss the Horn report with him and the fire chief.

"All I can say is, in terms of personnel, we are going to handle it in a professional manner in terms of the law," Sturbridge Town Administrator Shaun Suhoski said Monday.

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