Clinton Fire Department Projects $750,000 Overtime Bill as Staffing Crisis Deepens

CLINTON -- March 24, 2026, Clinton fire and police departments warn of escalating costs as staffing shortages bite. Clinton Fire Chief told the Select Board at its March 24 meeting that fire department overtime is tracking toward $700,000 to $750,000 this fiscal year, up from $500,000 last year, with 17 firefighters expected on the floor heading into summer after three recent departures, one injury, and one family medical leave. A visiting Leominster fire official presented a civilian paramedic hiring model that Leominster, Bellingham, and other towns have adopted after exhausting the firefighter-paramedic pipeline; Clinton already has a medic vehicle and ARPA-funded monitor on hand but no paramedic staff yet, while paying neighboring Sterling, Bolton, and West Boylston an estimated $70,000 to $100,000 this fiscal year for ALS coverage. The fire chief also requested $1 million to order a new pumper engine, citing a 2019 purchase price of $550,000 for a comparable unit and manufacturer projections of further nine-percent-plus increases. The Clinton police chief, presenting separately, reported a $19,995 federal grant for five new patrol cruiser laptops and acknowledged that two rounds of job postings for a $20,000 parking enforcement clerk position have failed to produce a suitable hire.