If you have tried to follow the fiasco involving the North Attleboro Fire Department and Board of Selectmen, you are probably a bit confused. Let's briefly summarize recent events:

Members of the fire chief's command staff had problems with his management. Those complaints reached some selectmen, who appoint the board of fire commissioners who oversee the department. One selectman (who has a relative connected with the department) told those complaining to write a letter asking for an investigation - which they did.

The fire commissioners conducted an investigation and found no wrongdoing on the part of the chief. The selectmen did not like this, and decided to conduct an investigation of the fire commissioners.

The selectmen's investigation of the investigation resulted in no action against the chief - which was the original purpose of the whole thing. But they did decide to fire the entire board of commissioners, censure one of their own members, issue a "letter of concern" to their own town administrator, and unintentionally raise a question people in North Attleboro must be asking themselves today:

Did anyone in government do anything right in this whole mess? Let's be clear from the beginning. The concept of a board of fire commissioners is obsolete. The board as an entity should be abolished. But then again, the very structure of North's government is equally obsolete. There is no town manager, no centralized authority, no independent professional leadership.

But this action by selectmen seems absurd. They have taken a bad situation and made it worse. They have destroyed much of what little credibility remained in the fractured, disjointed, directionless monstrosity known as this community's town government.

Selectmen found the fire engineers "created an appearance of bias and predisposition" in their investigation. This is amusing, coming from a board (with some different members) who ran a town administrator search that was totally rigged to guarantee one former board member the job, even changing the rules to accomplish it.

They also decided the engineers "failed in their obligation to be responsive to the board that appoints them." They accuse the engineers of holding illegal meetings and failing to turn over requested records. In other words - they ticked off their appointing authority.

At the same time selectmen disciplined one of their own and their town administrator. Selectmen Paul Belham was "censured" for his actions prior to the investigation. He had conversations with those complaining about the chief, and apparently commented on this newspaper's web site. He even voted in favor of his own censure - which of course carries no penalty or consequences.

Town Administrator Mark Fisher had his wrist slapped for failing to pass along to the chief an opinion from town counsel. The original plan called for a letter of reprimand, but was changed to a letter of concern. Apparently "reprimand" was considered a bit harsh. You have to wonder if the fire commissioners agree.

As a result of all this foolishness, the situation with the chief and his command staff - which is what started this whole thing - has been relegated to the background. Instead of talking about what may have been serious issues inside a very important department, the debate now centers around which politician did what to whom, and what punishment they should receive for it.

To an impartial outsider, this seems to be about one simple thing - control. Some firefighters don't like the way the chief runs the department. They complain to selectmen, who find they don't have direct authority to do anything. So they set about replacing the members of the board that does because they want people who will do their bidding.

Selectmen find wrongdoing by one of their own members and their paid professional - but no one loses their job. One set of rules for them, another for the selectmen's political foes. It would be laughable if it were not so sad.

Make no mistake, this is all about power. The chief, the unions, the selectmen, the engineers, the town administrator - they are all caught up in a headless government that doesn't reflect the needs of the people it is supposed to be serving. It's a total joke - but few in town are laughing.

BILL GOUVEIA is a local columnist and a longtime town official. He can be reached at aninsidelook@aol.com.