Fitchburg chief not ready to quit

FITCHBURG —Fire Chief Kevin D. Roy will be required by law to retire at age 65 next January, but by petitioning the state Legislature for an extension, he hopes to tack on a few months to his nearly 25 years of service.

A “Home Rule Petition” was unanimously approved by the City Council on Tuesday which would waive the mandatory retirement age for Chief Roy, who is currently set to retire on Jan. 30, 2020. The petition now heads off to the Legislature for approval.

If approved, Roy would lengthen his term by an additional five months to June 30, 2020.

According to City Council President Michael Kushmerek, Roy requested the extension to complete a few projects before he officially retires.

One of those projects includes an upgrade to the Fitchburg Fire Fighter Memorial in the Upper Common, said Kushmerek.

Roy also hopes to train the new fire chief when the city finds his replacement.

City Councilor Sam Squailia also said Roy has a personal goal to reach 25 years on the job.

“I fully support Chief Roy requesting a five-month extension for all the reasons he stated,” said Squailia.

“I’m thankful he is so committed to us.”

Kushmerek said the extension would also allow the city to start the process of looking for a new, permanent fire chief.

“This allows us to transition effectively from one permanent fire chief to the next without a long-term interim appointment,” he said.

Roy has been a member of the Fitchburg Fire Department for more than 44 years, including 39 as a full-time, permanent fire officer.

He became the ninth permanent chief in the city in 1995.

“I think he’s been transformative and impactful in his time as chief,” said Kushmerek.

“While I’ve only worked with him for the past six years, I’ve seen one of the most effective department heads in the city. He’s someone who’s passionate about the work he does and the Fire Department is core to who he is as a person.”

According to the petition, Roy would be appointed and continue work as the chief until he decided to retire or he is relieved of his duty by the mayor, provided that he is mentally and physically able to do the job.

The city can require that Roy be examined by a doctor to determine if he is mentally and physically capable to perform his duties.

Home Rule Petitions are legislation filed to address the needs of a particular municipality at the request and with the approval of that municipality, and which does not affect generally the laws of Massachusetts.

Roy declined to comment for this article.