Charlton Select Board Swears In Fire Chief Barton, Sets February Town Meeting on Clerk Post

CHARLTON — January 14, 2025 — Charlton Select Board sworn in new Fire Chief Rob Barton and set a February 18 special town meeting to consider converting the town clerk from an elected to an appointed position. Barton, whose contract was approved unanimously moments after he took the oath, credited his predecessor with leaving the department in strong shape, saying he is "blessed and looking forward to working with everybody." The board simultaneously approved a contract for the police chief. Acting on a citizens petition certified as carrying more than the required 200 registered-voter signatures under MGL Chapter 39, Section 10, the board set the February 18, 7 p.m. meeting — the latest permissible date under the 45-day bylaw window is February 22. In a 3-1 vote, the board declared two dogs owned by Jonathan Burnett of 50 Dresser Hill Road nuisance animals after Animal Control Officer Kelly Flynn presented 37 pages of reports documenting repeated incidents of the dogs running loose on Route 31 and entering a neighbor's yard; Burnett, who said he had already ordered a wireless electric fence, was given 30 days to demonstrate compliance before an ACO inspection.