Following the conclusion of the Council’s 4:00 p.m., May 6, 2010 budget session, the City Council will convene in a work session to discuss the following issues:
Library site proposals
Fire Department grant
The budget and work sessions are held in Conference Room 306 of the Government Office Building (125 N. Division Street).
Maybe Ireton should spend less time educating our children on how to use profanity and more time
ReplyDeleteREALIZING that the city and county can't afford a new freaking library!
You want to make a plan for when times are better? Fine. But that's not they do around here.
I hope due to these two important topics that all the council members will be there even if it's still 3-2. People vote with your heads next time, not by your landlord's demands.
ReplyDeleteis there more infomation avalible?
ReplyDeleteWhen are they going to appoint a new fire chief. The city put on a second forumBernie Becker from Ohio who was let go because of sexual harrassment charges against him. Jim Ireton told him no and then invited him back for a second forum. WTF!! Is Jim Ireton that mental to even consider someone with serious allegations? This person has been uneemployed for over 2 years and Jim Ireton thinks he has to go out of state for this trash. Can someone start a recall petition on Jim Ireton?
ReplyDeleteIreton is always making some bad choices. This is who he brought back as a candidate for fire chief after he told him no. WTF!! Par for the course!
ReplyDeleteTownship fire chief accused of harassment was warned in 2001
By Lawrence Budd
Staff Writer
Friday, March 07, 2008
SPRINGBORO — Clearcreek Twp. Fire Chief Bernie Becker was still on probation when he first came under fire from his firefighters in 1997.
Before recommending that trustees end Becker's probation — despite a no-confidence vote from his staff — the township administrator suggested Becker's detractors could be "a chief want-to-be" motivated by politics in neighboring Springboro or delivering payback for some actual or perceived slight.
Extras"Finally, the dissension could just be part of the natural progression for an organization that knows it is under pressure to meet steadily increasing service demands," Administrator Dennis Pickett said in Becker's Dec. 29, 1997, evaluation.
Now Becker, 49, is under internal investigation again, accused of sexual harassment.
On Feb. 25, the firefighter's union president presented a complaint to township officials accusing Becker of improperly touching firefighters, exhibiting other inappropriate behavior and creating a hostile work environment.
Among nine new sexual harassment claims are some similar to those made in 2001 during an investigation by the township police chief.
Union officials said this represents a pattern of unacceptable misconduct.
While ordering an investigation, administrators said they believe they had taken sufficient preventative steps.
"We sent him to some counseling and kept an eye on him for quite some time," Pickett said Wednesday, March 5.
On Feb. 5, 2001, trustees issued Becker a written warning and ordered him to complete sensitivity training.
The action followed an investigation triggered when Becker displayed an appendectomy scar to a firefighter in the hospital facing the same procedure in front of the firefighter's wife.
The same day, a different couple, Tim and Holly Lofton of Springboro, expressed their support for Becker in a note still in his personnel file.
"I want to apologize for where our society has digressed to when a friendly touch, football-player pat on the butt, or swapping stories about scars constitutes disciplinary action. It is a sad day," the Loftons said.
On Monday, Becker returns to work after a vacation planned before Feb. 25.
He didn't return phone calls seeking comment.
Since taking over the department, which is responsible for firefighting and ambulance services in Springboro and Clearcreek Twp., Becker has increased the number of professional firefighter-paramedics on staff, added a fire station and overseen myriad other changes.
Most recently, Becker put together a public-private coalition to fund a 2 million gallon water tank at the fuel terminal off Ohio 122.
Becker also has represented management during the unionization of the department.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2261 or lbudd@DaytonDailyNews.com.