Times Record News
VERNON, Texas — Vernon’s fire chief has resigned, and the city’s mayor has accused administrators of encouraging secrecy within the ranks of the fire department.
Meanwhile, Vernon’s city manager told the Times Record News he has given the mayor and commissioners as much information about the former chief’s resignation as privacy laws allow. He also said no secret plans have been hatched to withhold information from elected officials.
Marcus Smith resigned as fire chief late last week, city officials said, though the circumstances which led him to leave still are unclear. In an interview, City Manager Joseph Jarosek alluded to an investigation conducted by the city but said protocol does not allow him to speak on the details of personnel matters.
Currently the fire department is being led by an interim chief until a search for other candidates can be conducted.
Mayor Joe Rogers said his efforts to talk to firemen about Smith’s resignation have been stymied by what he calls a “gag order” placed on the personnel.
“I’ve talked to a few fireman and they’ve been scared to speak with me about the issue. They’re scared for their job,” he said. “There’s been a gag order placed on them by city administration.”
Jarosek, the city manager, responded by saying he never told fireman they couldn’t speak to elected officials about their department. He only reminded them about proper protocol when reporting grievances against other employees, he said.
“I instructed the firemen there’s a certain protocol that requires one to go through the chain of command when there’s a personnel matter. I directed them to follow the procedures in the city of Vernon handbook when they are addressing an issue,” Jarosek. “I explained to them the failure to do so would undermine the grievance process and possibly nullify the effort. I further explained that proper procedure was critical to defend challenges such as appeals or lawsuits.”
Smith, the former fire chief, reportedly was absent from the firehouse when state employees arrived recently to conduct an inspection, according to an article published in the Vernon Daily Record. His absence reportedly cost the department points on its inspection.
Jarosek said the city conducted an investigation into the matter and that he kept the mayor and commissioners apprised of developments. The communication included text messages and emails, he said.
“I sent a text message to all the commissioners that I was monitoring the situation. I then sent an email that I was still investigating the matter but I was lacking proper info from the complainants,” Jarosek said. “I explained to them I needed to go through the process and afford any individuals due process.”
It is not clear whether the inspection incident or something else led Smith to resign.
Rogers, the mayor, said he’s dedicated to being “transparent, open and honest” with residents regarding city affairs, though his efforts to do so have been undermined. He currently is working to schedule meetings with city administration to discuss the matter.
“We’re gonna fix the problem,” Rogers said. “That’s for sure.”
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