Hadley Firefighters and Neighboring Chiefs Demand Dedicated Override at Public Session

HADLEY — February 11, 2026 — Hadley firefighters and neighboring fire chiefs pack a Select Board listening session demanding a fire-department-only tax override. Dozens of on- and off-duty firefighters from Hadley, Northampton, Belchertown, and Easthampton turned out February 11 for the town's second public listening session on its fiscal crisis, which includes a projected $1.5 million FY27 shortfall and a health insurance bill that jumped from $1.6 million to $2.2 million in a single year. Call firefighter John Kinchla told the board that Hadley's five full-time firefighters and chief are handling nearly 2,200 annual calls on a $926,000 budget — compared to neighboring Avon, which runs 1,500 calls with 18 full-time firefighters and a $2.6 million budget. Easthampton Fire Chief Chris Norris, president of the Western Massachusetts Fire Chiefs Association, warned that under state regulation mutual aid communities have no legal obligation to respond and that some regional departments have begun charging fees for cross-border calls. Business owner Shardul Parmar told the board that commercial properties already generate more than $6.8 million in town revenue — exceeding the entire public safety budget with benefits — and pushed back sharply against proposals for a split residential-commercial tax rate. No votes were taken; a full FY27 budget draft is set for presentation the following Wednesday.