Charles Cubbage claims that racial discrimination is the reason he was passed up for promotion to fire chief.
City officials say they will ``vigorously'' fight the federal lawsuit by Cubbage, who has retired from the fire department after serving 24 years.
Cubbage filed the suit in November in Harrisonburg federal court. He alleges he was turned away in 1999 and 2002 from the post of Staunton fire chief because of race and his association with a disabled person -- his wife, who has multiple sclerosis.
City manager Bob Stripling told the News-Virginian the allegations are ``inaccurate and don't have any merit.''
But the U-S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission -- or E-E-O-C -- found enough merit to back Cubbage.
Cubbage's wife has multiple sclerosis, but the lawsuit does not make clear the relevance of her condition.
