Easton Fire Chief Announces Retirement

After 33 years with the Easton Fire Department, and nine years as the chief, told selectmen Monday night that he plans to retire in January.

"It’s been a pleasure," he said. "I don’t want to get too far into that. There is still another four and a half - five months of work to do.

"It wasn’t an easy decision. I’ve been batting this around for a couple of years now."

Stone said he "dropped a hint" that he was thinking about retirement to Easton Town Administrator David Colton while they discussed the department's budget last spring.

"I can say for myself that it’s been great working with Chief Stone, who is an excellent fire chief," Colton said. "He’s been a great partner in helping to administer the town."

Stone said the two main factors in his decision were his energy level and his ability to keep up with technology.

"It really is a demanding job to be a fire chief in this day and age," he said. "You really have to be at your peak in terms of energy."

Stone said he will be working with Colton to hire a new chief in the coming months.

The new chief will be chosen the same way Stone was chosen in 2002, Colton said. The town will hire the Massachusetts Municipal Consultant Group to create an assessment center. The town administrator said the town would advertise in-house and out-of-house.

As for Stone, he said his mind is made up.

"I’m not a 'Brett Favre' here at all," he said. "I don’t want to sit here three years from now and say that I really should have retired."