Milford Fire Department to Cut Nighttime Staffing as Budget Falls Short

MILFORD — April 8, 2026 — Milford police and fire chiefs warn of staffing and equipment cuts as the town's fiscal year 2027 budget tightens under a state aid shortfall. Fire Chief Mark Nelson told the Finance Committee Wednesday that a proposed $6.8 million fire budget — a $197,000 increase over fiscal year 2026 — is not sufficient to maintain current operations, forcing the department to cut one nighttime position per shift and end a practice of cross-staffing a second rescue unit for medical calls. Police Chief Robbie Tocino said his department trimmed $150,000 from expenses, almost entirely from the vehicle purchase line, while absorbing contractual salary increases with no new discretionary spending, and cautioned that a grant supplementing dispatch center salaries may not arrive this year. Building Commissioner John Erickson reported the department generated $230,000 in additional permit revenue in nine months following a fee schedule overhaul that raised construction permit rates from $6 to $9 per thousand dollars on residential projects. IT Director Christopher George credited contracted vendors including Worldband, Acronis, and iBackup with enabling the town to recover from a cyberattack in 24 to 36 hours while 70 other Massachusetts towns were still working through their own recoveries.