Oct. 11--ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FL-- The Fire District Board accepted Chief Buddy Emerson's retirement request Wednesday amid allegations from the firefighters union that he endangered employees' lives during Hurricane Irma and acted recklessly as chief.
Emerson had submitted his retirement effective at the end of February, but the board, at a special meeting, unanimously accepted it effective immediately. He will receive severance pay through Feb. 28. Emerson's annual salary was $137,500.
By a 5-2 vote, the Fire Board named District Chief Nate Spera interim chief. In a 6-1 vote, it agreed to hire recruiting firm Colin Baenziger & Associates to search for a new chief.
Emerson, a Navy veteran who joined the Fire District in February 1992, told the Fire Board in an Oct. 4 email he would retire Feb. 28, when his contract expires.
Emerson's unexpected retirement followed a 309-14 vote of no confidence last month from the local chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters.
The union claimed Emerson endangered employees' lives during Hurricane Irma, when he required them to work but then sent them home during the storm.
Emerson disputed the charge, saying roads were safe and that Port St. Lucie police changed shifts at the same time as Fire District employees.
Fire Board members dismissed the union's charges, but called for the district's Safety Committee to work with Spera to review storm procedures and how Hurricane Irma was handled. The board directed Human Resources to work with the Fire District's attorney to handle any employee grievances stemming from Irma.
"Because you're unhappy with how the chief staffed one hurricane event, you feel justified in saying that a guy who has given his professional life to the district and our community has little regard for you or citizens' lives or property without even having the decency of corroborating these assaults on his character with objective facts and analysis," Port St. Lucie Mayor and Fire Board Chairman Greg Oravec told union President Shane Kozac.
The union also claimed Emerson mishandled the removal of mold in Fire Station 5, leading to employee health problems; created a divisive atmosphere between administration and employees; and failed to equip employees with fully functioning equipment, according to a Sept. 27 letter to the Fire Board from Kozac.
Moreover, the union claims Emerson withheld September's $502,000 payment to the employee health care fund. The district is required to pay 85 percent of health care costs for employees and pre-1998 retirees.
The payment was made last week. The Fire District is conducting an audit to determine if it has overpaid.
Spara plans to meet with Health and Welfare Trust board members to discuss the payments.
Emerson, who attributed the accusations to a communication breakdown, said Wednesday he leaves with his integrity.
"I'm happy to have been vindicated by the Fire Board," Emerson said. "The union's claims were baseless and nothing more than character assassination."
"My dedicated service was recognized and I retire with my integrity intact," he said.
In the days preceding the special meeting, Kozac backed away from criticism of Emerson, acknowledging there had been a communication breakdown.
But Kozac doubled down on the allegations Wednesday after Emerson's departure.
"It's ultimately what we wanted to see," Kozac said.
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