FARMINGTON — “We will remove the ‘interim’, thankfully,” select board chair Matt Smith said to Timothy ‘TD’ Hardy Tuesday night, after the board voted unanimously to appoint Hardy as the new fire chief.
There were more than 20 applicants for the position at Farmington Fire. An advisory hiring committee conducted two rounds of interviews, narrowing it down to three primary candidates.
“At the end of the day it was a unanimous vote of support to appoint Chief Hardy as the new fire chief for the town,” Town Manager Christian Waller said.
Hardy has accepted the position. The select board voted unanimously to confirm the committee’s decision.
“My door’s always open, my phone’s always on,” Hardy told the board. “I really truly appreciate the opportunity.”
Hardy has worked for the Farmington Fire Department for 25 years and has been the interim chief for the last eight months, following Terry Bell’s retirement in December 2021. He graduated from Mt. Blue High School in 1997. Hardy holds the following certifications: Firefighter 1 and 2, Fire Officer 1 and 2, Fire Inspector at both state and national levels, Emergency Medical Technician, and Rescue Systems 1 certification. He is currently the training coordinator for the Franklin County Firemen’s Association, and has served as a firefighter, senior fire instructor, captain, fire chief in Livermore Falls, and an EMT with NorthStar EMS.
Selectman Stephan Bunker observed the hiring process as a non-voting member of the committee and felt it was straight and upfront, and that the interviews were uniform in the questions asked.
“While there were several well-qualified candidates, Chief Hardy’s community knowledge, technical capacity, and leadership made him the clear choice for chief,” Waller said in a news release.
“This is my hometown, and I look forward to serving,” Hardy said.
Smith thanked Hardy for his patience and diligence throughout the interview and hiring process, which took longer than anticipated, adding that he looked forward to Hardy’s tenure as fire chief.
