Proclamation: Fire/EMS Chief P. Kenneth Clark Day - Tuesday, January 31, 2023

BERLIN SELECT BOARD - January 9, 2023

*** PROCLAMATION ***

WHEREAS P. Kenneth Clark has with great skill, dedication and professionalism served as the Berlin Fire & EMS Chief since August 6, 2019, at 00:00:00 a.m. hours;

WHEREAS Chief Clark was coaxed out of retirement to serve Berlin following his (brief) retirement effective January 1, 2016, following his nine (9) year tenure as Hopkinton Fire Chief. In total, Chief Clark has served his hometown Hopkinton Fire Department for forty-three (43) years, having joined the force in 1973 as a call firefighter;

WHEREAS Berlin has benefited greatly from Chief Clark’s sage leadership and wisdom in terms of leading Berlin’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services divisions, as well as serving as its Emergency Management Director who served with distinction during trying times, including the COVID-19 pandemic and during the mass displacement of senior citizens from the Northbrook Village II housing complex during the first COVID-19 winter during a water break;

WHEREAS Chief Clark has served as a so-called ‘Strong Chief’ but provided a strong heart and soul to its growing department, helping to professionalize the weekday staffing, increase training for all staff, and to look forward to improving the public safety radio network and study the potential for the provision of Advanced Life Support (ALS) medical services;

WHEREAS Chief Clark constantly chooses to shine a spotlight on his up-and-coming crew instead of himself, despite his own June 2001 Massachusetts Firefighter Service Award and Hopkinton Board of Selectmen commendation for his cold-water ice rescue on Lake Whitehall in that town;

NOW, THEREFORE we, the members of the Berlin Select Board, do hereby proclaim Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at 23:59:59 (Midnight – Chief Clark’s last full day on the job) as:

KENNETH CLARK DAY

BERLIN SELECT BOARD

R. SCOTT HAWKINS

CHRISTINE KEEFE

MARGARET STONE