Firefighters suspend themselves
LUZERNE TWP. – Supervisor Ron DeSalvo could not get a second on his motion to suspend the four Isabella Fire Department officers charged with the arson of the department’s social hall after the department failed to suspend the men from all activity involving the department. Solicitor Jack Purcell read a letter from their attorney, Bernadette Tummons, at Tuesday’s regular meeting, stating that Jerry Booker II, the department’s vice president, made a motion and Steven Dugan, chief, seconded that motion to suspend themselves and the other two officers charged in the arsons from firefighting duties only.
Booker and Dugan along with Thomas Baker, the department’s assistant chief, and William A. Robison, trustee, were all charged in March with federal criminal violations in connection with two fires in June that completely destroyed the department’s social hall and subsequent insurance fraud.
Baker, 33, and Booker, 20, were charged with arson, while Dugan, 25, and Robison, 22, were charged with mail fraud for allegedly filing a false claim with Selective Insurance Co. of New Jersey.
DeSalvo said the department’s suspension of the officers from “firefighting duties only” did not comply with the township’s request for the department to suspend the four men from all duties relating to the department.
The township supervisors asked the department to suspend the officers before their regular meeting in April and the department failed to do so.
At that time, the fire department told the board, through a letter written by their attorney, that the department was considering the township’s request but hadn’t taken action on the matter.
In response to that letter, the township supervisors agreed to give the department 30 days to take action or face suspension of the entire department.
Purcell said the department could have requested a public hearing during those 30 days, but they did not.
“We want them suspended from all firefighting duties. They did not respect our wishes,” DeSalvo said as he made the motion to fully suspend the four officers.
“They are only suspending themselves from offices, not from the (fire department’s) premises and not from fund-raising duties,” DeSalvo stated.
James Dugan III, president of the department and former chief, said, directing his comments to Supervisor Ted Kollar, that he was told that the fire department’s actions would fulfill the township’s request.
After James Dugan’s comments, Kollar asked why it wasn’t enough that the four officers suspended themselves from firefighting only.
Kollar and Supervisor William Baker’s hesitation to second the motion led to a discussion between the supervisors, James and Steven Dugan.
DeSalvo was angered with the lack of support from his fellow supervisors.
“Are you going to second the motion or not. You said you would second the motion,” DeSalvo said to Kollar and Baker.
Baker asked the Dugans if they did in fact suspend the officers and asked who was appointed in their place.
The Dugans said they did suspend the four men, but could not give the names of the replacing officers.
“It was done. Everyone was suspended until this is all cleared up. We have active people to act as officers.
“We don’t have them (names of the officers) here,” Steve Dugan said, adding that the supervisors did not request a list of the four new officers.
He said though that he could provide the supervisors with a list of names later.
While DeSalvo did not seem interested in discussing the matter any further, both Kollar and Baker seemed to be considering accepting the department’s suspension.
DeSalvo’s intolerance of the department’s failure to adhere to the township’s full request prompted James Dugan to ask him what he had against the Isabella Fire Department.
“Nothing,” DeSalvo said. “You did not follow the guidelines.”
Kollar said he did not second the motion because he does not feel the supervisors can tell the four firemen to stay off the department’s property.
“I can’t tell people where they can go,” he said.
“You can right now,” DeSalvo said, “if you second this motion.”
Purcell said the letter he originally sent the department clearly stated that the township supervisors were requesting that the four officers be suspended from “all fire department activities,” which would exclude them from firefighting, fund-raising and from being present on the department property.
But he told the supervisors that it was up to them if they wanted to accept the department’s suspension.
“If you are satisfied. It’s up to the board, if you feel what they did is sufficient,” Purcell said.
“I feel it is,” Kollar said.
DeSalvo said he had a problem with the officers still being allowed on the department’s property.
Baker agreed that the four should not be allowed on the department’s property.
At that, James Dugan said, “If you don’t want them on the property, then we will suspend them from all duties.”
James Dugan said he would have a letter sent to the township in a “couple of days,” alerting the township of their action.
The supervisors did not take action on the matter and said they will give the department another couple of days to comply with their request.