WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — As the town's fire district embarks on a new era, Tuesday it said thank you to a veteran leader who helped make that era possible.

 

At the annual district meeting, the Prudential Committee recognized more than six decades of service by John Notsley, who decided not to run for another term on the elected body.

 

Notsley started as a firefighter in the Fire Department in 1963, following in his father's footsteps.

 

Notsley called the department and the Gale Hose Company his "second home" throughout the 63 years that followed.

 

"When I was 6 years old, I met my first fire chief, Tom Welch, who I'm sure no one here remembers," Notsley said. "Followed by Edward H. McGowan, Gordon Noble, Edward M. McGowan, Craig Pedercini and our current chief, Jeffrey [Dias].

 

"My commitment to the district gave me 13 years as clerk, 42 years on the Prudential Committee and 62 years on the Gale Hose Company, the volunteer arm of the department."

 

For years, Notsley, Ed McGowan and Ed Briggs served as a three-person committee to help manage the department, and in 2006, they began looking at how to replace the Fire Department's aging and cramped home on Water Street. The three eventually expanded the body to five members and, this year, Notsley saw a 20-year project come to fruition with the completion of a new fire station on Main Street.

 

That station will be the main attraction on Saturday when the department hosts an open house and dedication ceremony from noon to 2.

 

On Tuesday, the focus was on the people behind that building.

 

Prudential Committee Chair David Moresi opened the annual meeting by praising, "the many individuals who have volunteered countless hours," to the department, calling out his fellow Prudential Committee members, the district's Building Committee and Finance Committee, its current clerk and treasurer and Bruce Decoteau, a longtime project manager at Williams College who advised the elected and appointed officials throughout the building process.

 

"And of course, as always, the men and women of the department, who answer the call day or night," Moresi said. "May you enjoy your new station, all under the leadership of our chief."

 

Moresi then singled out Notsley, whose seat on the Prudential Committee was filled on Tuesday by Michael Noyes, the lone candidate on the ballot for the post.

 

"John has dedicated 63 years to the department and the district," Moresi said. "We cannot thank him enough, but we'll make an attempt at it."

 

He then turned the microphone over to recently retired chief and current Prudential Committee member Pedercini.

 

"John was a firefighter for most of his 63 years," Pedercini said before presenting Notsley with a plaque honoring his service. "He was the clerk/treasurer for 13 years, watching over our books and keeping the minutes of every meeting.

 

"Then he left the clerk/treasurer position and took on the position of a Prudential Committee member. While there, he also chaired the Prudential Committee for probably the majority of the time he was here. Kudos to John for that."

 

The recognition of Notsley and the presentation of annual reports from the Finance Committee and treasurer consumed most of the 33-minute meeting in the Williamstown Elementary School gymnasium.

 

The meeting members moved expeditiously through the 13 business items on the meeting warrant with only one negative vote heard among the two dozen or so residents who checked in for the meeting.

 

That vote came on Article 8, which authorized the district to establish a reserve fund and raise $100,000 through taxation to get that fund started in the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The lone dissenter did not address the meeting to explain their objection in advance of the vote.

 

The rest of the articles passed unanimously, though a couple generated brief discussion.

 

Article 6, which authorizes the Prudential Committee to sell the former fire station and property at 34 Water St., drew an inquiry on whether the district has had any interest in the site.

 

"There's a lot of interest in it," Moresi told the meeting. "Upon getting this vote this evening, we will move into fast track mode to dispose of that."

 

Article 13 sought to clean up the books on a number of appropriations authorized by the district meeting but unspent dating back to 2015. In answer to a question from the floor, Treasurer Billie Jo Sawyer said the remains of the six votes in question total about $50,000.

 

Prior to the annual meeting, the district held its annual election, where Noyes was elected to a three-year term on the Prudential Committee and Paul Harsch was re-elected as moderator.