Paint Creek firefighters submit 'no confidence' vote on Chief George
By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press
A number of members of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4811 have issued a "no confidence" vote in suspended Chief Bradley George of the Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District.
In a six-page document entitled "IAFF Local 4811 Paint Creek Firefighters Vote of No Confidence," firefighters present 70 bullet point complaints against George as "reasons why the district employees have no confidence in the fire chief."
As previously reported, George was placed on paid leave by the Paint Creek board in July. George was brought before Paint Creek board members for a hearing Tuesday, Sept. 8 at the Paint Creek Fire Station in Greenfield on charges of malfeasance, gross negligence of duty and failure of good behavior.
The hearing was directed by attorney William Peelle of Wilmington. George was represented by Highland County Court, Madison Township Division, Judge Robert Judkins of Greenfield.
Andrew Esposito of Clemans, Nelson & Associates outlined allegations that George:
• Failed to pay overtime to part-time employees;
• Told fiscal officer Jacalyn Emerick to only pay overtime to some part-time employees; and
• Incorrectly reported hours on his own time sheet in February 2015.
A fourth charge against George was dismissed prior to the hearing.
Board members moved on all three charges to indicate they found them to be true. The motion for the first charge passed 9-0, while a motion for the second charge passed 8-1 (Bill Redenbaugh dissenting) and the motion for the third charge passed 7-2 (Redenbaugh and Grant Palmer dissenting).
“It is this board’s basic general determination that the charges as presented have been established,” Peelle said.
Paint Creek board members Steve Edingfield, Travis Mootz and Randy Mustard expressed “disappointment” in the handling of taxpayer dollars.
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“I feel like as chief of a fire department, it’s your responsibility for day-to-day operations,” Mootz said. “I feel like you kind of let myself down in this situation as well as my taxpayers.”
Board member Jerry Williams added that he was “disappointed in what happened here and what it’s going to cost the taxpayers.”
Mootz said that he felt termination was appropriate. “These are very serious charges,” he said. Mootz made a motion for the termination of George as chief.
Peelle reminded the board that the motion would require a two-thirds majority, with six votes needed. The motion failed with four yes votes and five no votes.
Voting yes were: Randy Mustard, Jerry Williams, Steve Edingfield and Travis Mootz. Voting no were Robert Wiley, Dan Matthews, Grant Palmer, Bill Redenbaugh and Lowell Sullivan.
Redenbaugh then moved to suspend George for 30 days without pay.
“At the end of that 30 days, we will put together guidelines for him to follow to continue as fire chief,” Redenbaugh said.
The motion carried by a 9-0 vote on Sept. 8, with George to be reinstated to active duty on Oct. 9.
During his Sept. 8 hearing testimony, George was asked by his counsel “what do you feel your working relationship is going to be with your fellow professionals here in the district?” (in the future).
“I would hope whatever relationship there was then, after six years, we can still work through all of that and keep maintaining the service in the department we have for six years,” George said.
“You feel you have maintained a good relationship with each and every one of these employees in this district?” Judkins asked.
“I would like to sit here and think so,” George said.
When asked on Sept. 24 about the "no confidence" vote, George told The Highland County Press that he has been through both an internal investigation and an external investigation and the results boiled down to the three issues reported on Sept. 8.
"We've been through all of this. It's been investigated," George said. "I plan to be back to work for the district on Oct. 9."
According to George, the Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District includes 16 full-time firefighters and approximately 50 part-time and volunteer firefighters.
He said again this week that he looks forward to working with all of the district's personnel upon his return to active duty.