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Employees honored at commission meeting
By DAVE SHELTON
Article published on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007 |
LARGO – Dozens of city employees attended the Oct. 16 City Commission meeting for a special awards ceremony.
The city’s new fire chief was sworn in, a police officer was given a silver award, Special Events Coordinator Terry Moore was honored by military veterans, quarterly employee awards were handed-out and the commission recognized two solid waste department truck drivers for their participation in a national driving championship.
One of them won a national title for his driving skills.
Fire department Chief Michael Wallace, 51, was sworn in to the $95,000 yearly position. On Oct. 2 the City Commission changed an ordinance amending its retirement codes that cleared the way for Wallace to become the department’s head.
Largo’s retirement system would have required Wallace to give up his pension credits earned during his 18 years as a Largo firefighter if he were rehired in Largo.
In all, the emergency medical technician has 25 years of experience as a firefighter and paramedic.
Wallace began his career in 1982 as a firefighter in Madeira Beach. He joined the Largo department in 1986 as a firefighter and paramedic. He rose through the Largo ranks and in 1997 was made district chief of emergency medical services and in 1999 he became a division chief.
The firefighter then retired in 2003 and later took the position of assistant chief in the Seminole Fire Rescue Department. He resigned his position in September to accept the Largo job.
The search for a new fire chief began in August when former Chief Jeffrey Bullock retired during an investigation into allegations that he had used his city position to get a low price for a cab on his pickup truck, which he used for city business.
Bullock’s replacement, Karry Bell, was subsequently released after a confrontation with a Belleair Bluffs firefighter. Largo is paid to manage the neighboring city’s fire department.
Further muddying the waters, Bell has asked for a hearing into his termination in the midst of the search for a new full-time chief. City Manager Norton “Mac” Craig said a hearing into Bell’s appeal would be scheduled for some time in November by the city’s personnel advisory committee. That committee of employees and citizens at-large could recommend that Craig rehire Bell if they believe his claims.
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Article published on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007
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