Southbridge Council Approves Four Firefighter Hires Amid Ongoing Overtime Budget Crunch

SOUTHBRIDGE — April 27, 2026 — Southbridge Town Council honors fatal-fire heroes, fills four firefighter vacancies, and approves $132,000 in emergency budget transfers. Fire Chief Paul Darminden presented Heroic Action Awards to Lieutenant Christopher Wilson and Firefighter Thomas Edwards for entering a burning structure with zero visibility to rescue a trapped resident, Elizabeth Height, who survived the March 9 blaze long enough for her family to say goodbye before she died; unit citations went to Firefighters Joshua Brackett, Bonnie Hensley, John Kennedy, and Lieutenant Steven Lavoie. The council unanimously confirmed four new firefighter-EMT hires — Rendon Jarvis, Hunter Moon, Aiden Ronan, and Colin Dennis Malou — directly in response to vacancies driving overtime, then approved seven mid-year fire department budget transfers totaling over $90,000, including $50,000 and $25,000 moves from salary and services accounts into overtime. The council also approved a $54,847 change order with AF Amarillo Construction for East Main Street, a $13,350.37 radio equipment grant, and a $7,500 summer youth programming grant, before voting unanimously to enter executive session to address two open meeting law complaints filed against Chair Scott Lazo.