Local News

Mass. fire chief dismissed for alleged conflict of interest, insubordination

The chief was fired for publicly commenting on safety hazards posed by a solar farm that abuts his property.

April 23, 2026

2 minutes to read

Rehoboth’s fire chief was fired Tuesday over a conflict of interest and is now reportedly considering taking legal action.

In a 4 to 1 vote by the town’s Board of Selectmen, former Fire Chief Mark Haskell was removed from his position after he spoke out at town meetings about a solar farm across the street from his home, according to WJAR. Town officials determined that he violated ethics rules by identifying himself as Fire Chief when making his public comments.

Haskell has stated that he raised concerns about the development’s lithium-ion battery storage and emergency response protocols. However, the board asserted that he had financial interest because of his property’s proximity to the farm, WJAR reported.

Town officials further stated that while Haskell was free to publicly comment on the situation, he should have done so as a citizen rather than as fire chief. Board of Selectmen Chair Skip Vadnais said he previously warned Haskell three times about the conflict of interest and advised him to let the deputy fire chief investigate instead.

“He’s absolutely right; it’s a safety concern,” Vadanis told WJAR. “He has the perfect right to address it as a citizen, but not in uniform and not in the capacity of a fire chief.”

In a post Thursday on the fire department’s Facebook page, Haskell said he was “disappointed” by the board’s decision but felt “no ill will toward anyone.” He also thanked family, friends, and town firefighters for reaching out to support him in the wake of his dismissal.

“The strength of a community is measured not just in its fire stations or town halls, but in the heart of its people — and your solidarity in this time has reminded me how truly strong Rehoboth is,” Haskell said on Facebook. “Though I no longer wear the title, I will always be a neighbor, a friend, and someone who cares deeply about the safety and wellbeing of this town. If I was afforded the opportunity to return as the Chief, I would start back today.”

Stacy Haskell, Mark’s wife and a member of the town’s planning board, told WJAR that their family and neighbors have been alerting the town about their safety concerns for years but to no avail.

“The batteries are literally less than 500 feet away from our front doors,” she said. “If anything ever went wrong up there, we’re done. They can’t stop those fires.”

Both of the Haskells have said that they plan to pursue legal action against the town of Rehoboth. While officials search for a new fire chief, the deputy fire chief will take Haskell’s place in the interim.