NORTON - With the April 28 town election approaching, the five candidates for two seats on the board of selectmen said Saturday they hope Norton finds the money to avoid closing the Chartley fire station July 1.

At a forum at town hall, the candidates also weighed in on library and public safety funding, and how well town government is run.

All five candidates for the two three-year seats attended Saturday's forum: incumbents Timothy Giblin and Stephen Gradie, Southeastern Regional Vocational-Technical High School Committee member Christopher DeLeo, former Norton school committee member Bradford Bramwell, and local businessman George Gillis.

The 90-minute forum was sponsored by the Norton Cable Access Corporation and Norton Community Television.

Moderated by Town Moderator William Gouveia, the program will run on Norton Cable periodically before the election. The selectmen's race is the only contest on the ballot. However, a three-way race for two school committee seats emerged when former board member Donna Gradie recently launched a write-in campaign. Incumbent Thomas Golota and Brahman Drive resident Deniz Savas are on the ballot.

Gouveia said he expects to moderate a school committee candidates' forum Tuesday at the Norton Cable studio. The details were not final Saturday.

The questions at Saturday's selectmen's forum ran the gamut from "Why should voters put you on the board of selectmen, versus your opponent?" to "Why should voters trust you?" Each candidate was asked the same questions.

Asked if, with a Proposition 2 1/2 override seeming unlikely, how Norton could maintain its fire and police protection levels, Giblin said "I will make it my No. 1 priority" to reopen the Chartley Fire Station if additional revenue or cost savings become available.

Fire Chief Richard Gomes plans to lay off five call firefighters and not fill one fill-time post, and close the Chartley Fire Station, on July 1 for budget reasons.

"It would be terrible for us to have a town that is not safe," said Giblin, adding that he lives in Chartley.

Gillis said he would not support layoffs.

Rather, the fire department should eliminate overtime and switch to a schedule of three eight-hour shifts, Gillis said.

"I don't want to see any cuts. I don't think the town can afford to make any cuts," he said.

Gradie said he agrees with Giblin on allocating currently unexpected money to public safety. "Closing Chartley cuts off an important part of public safety at that part of town," Gradie said.

Bramwell said having layoffs "probably is inevitable" in the short term.

In general, though, "priorities have to be set, and I think public safety has to be number one," Bramwell said.

DeLeo said he hopes Norton finds the money for the Chartley station and the fire positions.

"It's horrible. It's sad. This is our public safety. Those should be protected more than anything else," DeLeo said.

The candidates were asked last for their opinion of how town government is running, and to note specific concerns.

DeLeo said, "I think it's run OK. It can run better." He promised to make it run better if elected.

Giblin said the department heads "do the best with what they have."

However, he'd like to see more residents attend town meeting and "get their voices out there."

Bramwell agreed.

"We need input from all the citizens to do a good job," he said.

Gradie said he has seen attitudes at town hall improve over the past three years.

"Is there room for improvement? There's always room for improvement," he said.

Gillis, meanwhile, criticized Norton for "hiring unqualified people and paying them to learn on the job."

He cited former Building Inspector Joseph Clancy, his successor, Bryan Butler, and Health Agent Leon Dumont as examples.

"I'm not anti-Mr. Butler. When he came in and took the job, he was not licensed," said Gillis, who, this winter, settled two unrelated lawsuits with the town, one filed by each side.

"There are a lot of things going on in this town hall that people don't know about. I'm not going to get into it," Gillis added.

MICHAEL GELBWASSER covers Norton for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0439 or at mgelbwasser@thesunchronicle.com.