Excerpts from MyWebTimes.com:
The Seneca Fire Department board is set to make a major change this Monday night, as it prepares to terminate the long-serving fire chief and appoint a new one.
Chief Jerry Sears confirmed on Monday afternoon that he was first made aware of the board’s decision to remove him several weeks ago. According to Sears, the board had already planned to promote Deputy Chief Kett Johnson to the position of chief.
Sears admitted that he was initially upset by the news but has since come to terms with it. He plans to address the board during the meeting to explain his side of the story. With over 50 years of service, Sears joined the volunteer department in 1973 and took on the role of chief in 1984.
Karen Osmond, the department’s administrative assistant, stated that the agenda for Monday’s special meeting came as a complete surprise. She said it was announced unexpectedly on Friday afternoon.
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Monday at the fire station located at 121 W. Armour St. in Seneca.
Thanks, Dennis
Excerpts from the HeraldNews.com:
A long-standing fire chief, Jerry Sears, who served for 33 years, was officially let go during Monday's Seneca Fire Board meeting. The 76-year-old firefighter, who joined the department in 1973, now finds himself excluded from the station where he once led.
Sears claims that two members of the board met behind closed doors without the third, attempting to push him into early retirement before the official meeting. “The President of Trustees, Jerry Johnson, came to my house on June 20 to tell me I would be retiring the next day,†Sears recalled.
He wrote a letter of resignation for the meeting, but later decided not to submit it. Despite this, he was dismissed during the board meeting with a 2-1 vote on July 10. Kett Johnson was selected as the new chief, and he claims he was approached about the position on June 30.
“He did an incredible job for the department. Nothing would be the same without him,†Johnson said in response to Sears’ departure.
Sears insists he would have continued serving if given the choice. He believes his age and recent heart-related health issues may have played a role in the decision. He was out of the station for nearly six months while Assistant Chief Jason Bersano temporarily took over his duties.
Karen Osmond, the administrative assistant for the Fire and Ambulance District, noted that the news of Sears’ departure hasn’t fully sunk in among the firefighters yet.
Despite the difficult ending, Sears wishes his team all the best. Johnson, meanwhile, is committed to making the transition as smooth as possible for the department.
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