Tonight, in a unanimous decision, the Hopkinton Select Board voted to appoint Gary Daugherty, Jr. as Hopkinton’s next Fire Chief. Daugherty, Jr., who was previously Hopkinton’s Deputy Fire Chief, has been the Acting Chief since June 11, when William Miller left for Bellingham. 

Daugherty, Jr. is the son of Gary Daugherty, who served as Hopkinton’s Fire Chief from 1997 to 2009.

The search for a replacement chief was led by outside consultant Community Paradigm Associates and a Board-appointed hiring committee. After screening eleven applicants and interviewing 8, the hiring Committee sent 4 applicants to the Fire Chief Assessment Center. From there two finalists were chosen; John Ignatowitz, the Acting Chief in Pelham, NH, and Daugherty, Jr. 

Mr. Ignatowitz interviewed first, and the Select Board members took turns asking questions on a wide range of topics, from leadership style to budget management, labor relations and professional development. Ignatowitz described the fire service as an “iceberg”. “The public sees a little bit of it, but there’s a lot more beneath the surface,” he said. He indicated that one of his first tasks would be to get to know the firefighters and public. 

Mr. Ignatowitz later asked the board what they were looking for in their next fire chief. Board member Irfan Nasrullah responded that he was “looking for someone to collaborate closely with Eversource.” Board member Mary Jo Lafreniere echoed Nasrullah, adding that “sometimes too much comes down the other way,” and that “we need to make sure Eversource knows what our needs are too.” 

The Select Board thanked Mr. Ignatowitz’s for his candidacy, and he exited. Shortly after, Daugherty, Jr. entered the room in his Class A Firefighter uniform. From the start, he listed several achievements the fire department has realized in the past six months, including welcoming new graduates from the academy, receiving awards from Governor Maura Healey, and taking delivery of two new fire trucks. 

When asked by Select Board Chair Muriel Kramer about a recent emergency situation that he’d learned from, Daugherty, Jr. pointed to the rescue operation of Golden Pond resident Jim Noon. “What I learned is that every decision I make, right or wrong, will be scrutinized. I just have to know in my heart that I did right thing,” he said. 

The Select Board seemed particularly impressed by Daugherty, Jr.’s knowledge of the budgeting process. “I’ve been building the FY25 budget from the bottom up,” he said. “You’ll be glad to know that when I present my budget it will be less than our FY24 ask.”

In his closing statement, Daugherty, Jr. took the opportunity to thank his team. “In the past 6 months as Acting Chief, everyone in the department has stepped up and they’ve been tremendously supportive.”

After a short deliberation, the Select Board unanimously approved Daugherty, Jr.’s appointment, pending a successful contract negotiation. There was a round of applause from the audience.

At age 43, Daugherty, Jr. is one of Hopkinton’s youngest fire chiefs – but not the youngest. His father was just 39 when he assumed command of the department. But Daugherty, Jr.’s experience is inarguable. He entered the US Air Force as a firefighter in 1998 and served multiple tours. He was hired as a paramedic and firefighter in Hopkinton in 2004, and has steadily climbed the ranks since. As Deputy Chief and Acting Chief, Daugherty, Jr. has been relentless in his pursuit of external funding sources to fill critical gaps in the department. In the past year, his efforts have brought in more than $350,000 in grants to purchase equipment, smoke detectors, and other important safety items.

Reached by telephone after the meeting, Daugherty, Jr. said “I’m grateful to the Select Board for the opportunity to lead this department. I look forward to continuing to build the Hopkinton Fire Department into the best in the state.”

Pat O’Brien, who served in the Hopkinton Police Department for 32 years, was in attendance. “This is good for Hopkinton, because Gary’s been here for 20 years. He’s been the interim chief for six months, and the Deputy Chief for a long time. I know him, and he knows the department, and more importantly, he knows the town. He knows about the big things that other towns don’t have, like the LNG plant and the Marathon. And because he’s already the Emergency Management Director, whatever the crisis, he’s the main man.”

“This is a great day for Hopkinton,” commented Select Board member Mary Jo Lafreniere.