Hopedale Fire Department Civil Service Exemption in Doubt

By MyFM’s Claire Beverly – It’s not looking promising for the Town of Hopedale to exempt the Fire Department from the civil service exam. A petition for the change was passed by Town Meeting in 2022 and filed as a bill by State Representatives Brian Murray and Ryan Fattman in 2023. Hopedale Town News reports the next milestone for the bill is in June but last month the Town Administrator told the Select Board it will likely not pass due to opposition from groups such as organized labor. But they may try to enact a 50% civil service staffing.