Trustees in Delaware County’s Liberty Township have begun the process of disciplining Fire Chief Tim Jensen for what they say is a series of management lapses.
The unanimous vote Monday authorizes Douglas Duckett, a Cincinnati lawyer, to bring charges at a formal hearing at which Jensen will present his side — a process required by state law for township firefighters.
Jensen, chief for six years and a firefighter there for more than 25 years, has been on paid leave since March when trustees found fault with his leadership.
By law, an outside citizen or another chief must review serious allegations before formal discipline can occur. Duckett will be paid more than $25,000 for his work.
In a fact-finding report reviewed by trustees, Duckett concluded: “Without a major, fundamental and ongoing change of course, Mr. Jensen is not fit to remain in command of the fire department.”
Among the allegations against Jensen: excluding Human Resources Director Cathy Buehrer when preparing a job description; failing to provide Buehrer with necessary paperwork to coordinate sick leave and other medical benefits; lack of leadership after several doses of an EMS drug were found to be missing; failure to hold employees accountable for their actions; and personal tardiness.
The action is the latest to roil the 42-member department, which serves Powell, in recent years.
Three months after a November 2012 fire levy defeat, the township passed a 5.6-mill levy to raise $7 million annually for five years, but it included staff cuts. Failure would have meant laying off most of the department or converting to a volunteer staff or contracting with another department.
And last year, David Anderson, township administrator, resigned after being forced to leave for undisclosed reasons.Shyra Eichhorn, a trustee for two years and current president, said restoring stability and trust is a priority, along with removing problem employees.
“I felt for me it would be negligent as a trustee to not move ahead, based on the information at the time,” she said.
“I’m sure that the taxpayers are not fond of us spending money on this. But sometimes doing the right thing is not the easy thing.”
Jensen, who earns about $91,000 annually, could not be reached for comment.
His attorney, Paul Bittner, has responded in writing to each allegation, noting Jensen’s “dedication and loyalty to the township since 1990.”
Bittner called the accusations “kind of like a critique of somebody’s management style,” and he questioned how any of Jensen’s actions could be grounds for dismissal.
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