Fire chief relieved of duties by PSF&RD commissioners
By CHARY SOUTHMAYD
Article published on Wednesday, June 28, 2006  |
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![[Image]](/content_images/062806_pco-06.jpg) |
| Chief John R. Leahy Jr. |
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INDIAN ROCKS BEACH – Pinellas Suncoast Fire and Rescue District Chief John R. Leahy Jr. remains on administrative leave pending any further action by the board of fire commissioners at its Tuesday, July 18, meeting.
By a vote of 3-1, Leahy was placed on leave by the board on June 20. Commissioners James Mortellite, Dan Madura and John Todia backed the move, with commission Chairman Tom Hafner casting the lone dissenting vote. Commissioner Bob McEwen was on vacation and absent from the meeting.
The leadership of Indian Rocks Professional Firefighters Local 3206 presented commission members with pages of documentation indicative of what it says is the deteriorating relationship between the chief and the union.
Among other charges, union president Todd Grantham claims he was threatened by Leahy, that he was denied access to public records he requested on numerous occasions, that the chief has refused to address concerns about low morale within the department and that several pleas for additional safety equipment (Rapid Intervention Team bags and thermal imagers) were not heeded.
“We can’t work with him. It’s an irretrievable relationship,” Grantham said in an interview. “We want the commission to be aware of these things and investigate. He (Leahy) brought this upon himself.”
Hafner said motions made at the meeting by Mortellite, whose brother is a firefighter, first to fire Leahy, which failed for lack of a second, and then for administrative leave, “came out of the blue.”
“I want to hear evidence, specifics to terminate,” Hafner said, “not just the rumors. There is nothing specific in what they are saying. Tell me something.”
Both Leahy and Hafner accuse the union leadership of not following proper chain of command procedures. Hafner cited the fact that union leaders mentioned the RIT bags and thermal imaging equipment directly to the commission at a meeting.
“They don’t follow protocol and chain of command. I have a problem with that,” Hafner said.
Grantham counters that the matter was taken to the commission only after repeated requests to fire administration fell on deaf ears.
“We didn’t have the money,” said Hafner. “Those things are expensive.”
Regarding union claims that Hafner, McEwen and Leahy may have violated the Sunshine Law when talking together in Leahy’s office after a commission meeting, Hafner said, “We were chatting about personal issues. Bob’s wife had had surgery and they were planning a trip to Turkey. We were talking about that.”
Hafner faults the union and other Leahy detractors with failing to recognize what the chief has contributed to the fire district during his five-year tenure.
“In all of this they have overlooked a very important issue. Where would this department be today without him? He cut back on expenses, looked for solutions. We just got an excellent report from the state on our EMS service,” Hafner said. “I think he’s getting a really raw deal. As hard as he works, he doesn’t deserve this.”
Leahy is recovering after previously scheduled knee replacement surgery Monday morning at Largo Medical Center. He chose not to comment for this story.
Grantham said the union just wants to move forward.
“We love this department. We are trying to save our jobs,” he said. “We respect him for the good things he did. But things have deteriorated in the last two years. It’s time for him to go.”
Assistant Chief Russ Livernois has been appointed acting chief during Leahy’s absence.
“We need to get things back on track between the union and administration,” Livernois said. “Things have been in turmoil. There’s been no working together. We need to stop the memos and communicate – to get the department where it needs to be to get an increase in our taxes.”
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Article published on Wednesday, June 28, 2006
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