Fire board to hear investigation findings Tuesday
The findings of an informal investigation regarding the violation of district policies will be presented to the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Board of Fire Commissioners during a special public meeting at Fire Station #31 tomorrow (Tuesday, Dec. 21) at 9 a.m. The local fire board will hold its regular meeting at the same location at 7 p.m. that evening.
At the special meeting, Attorney Bradley Rothman of Weldon & Rothman, PL of Naples is expected to read his concluding report regarding the allegations made by a local fire fighter against FMB Fire Chief Mike Becker. The findings will determine if further action is warranted.
“The whole purpose of the special meeting is to receive the investigator’s report and his findings and have an opportunity to ask questions to make any decisions on that investigation,” said FMB Fire Board Chairperson Carol Morris. “”What I understand is there was very little in writing except for three original pieces of paper which were public. It’s a ‘he said, she said’ situation.”
According to Morris, Rothman, who is known to be a specialist in labor law, was scheduled to interview 7-8 people from Dec. 8-10. Those questioned were directly or indirectly involved in the accusations made through an emailed complaint (dated Nov. 5) by fire fighter Jen Gordon.
In the email to Capt. Ivan Bestrom (shift commander at the time of the incident), Gordon stated that Becker had made statements which led her to believe that Dr. Joseph Lemons would have her state paramedic license removed if she did not go through a re-credential process, and her continued employment within the district would be in jeopardy if she didn’t cooperate.
After speaking with Lemons, Gordon stated she learned Becker’s statements were untrue and felt threatened and intimidated by Becker concerning her status as a district employee. She believed the fire chief had violated policies concerning harassment and violence in the workplace.
“My guess is that all the interviews have been done and (Rothman) is working on his report,” said Morris on Monday. “Hopefully, some time this week, (the fire commissioners) will get a copy of his report, so that we can start reading through it before the meeting.”
Morris would like to encourage residents of the FMB Fire Control District to come out and hear the investigator’s findings on a first-hand basis.
“If this is of interest to people, come on out and listen,” she said. “It’s an open meeting to the public. Feel free to attend and hear the details of the ongoing investigation.”
This will be the second time Becker is under an informal investigation in 14 months.
On Oct. 20, 2009, Becker was placed on immediate administrative leave with pay at the board’s monthly meeting due to allegations relating to prescription drug abuse and an intimate relationship with a district employee. More than a month later, he was back on duty after the findings of an investigation by court certified mediator Roger Benson determined no wrongdoing. Benson’s concluding remarks stated Becker’s addiction to pain prescription medicine “should not be dealt with after the fact as misconduct.” The board determined not to pursue any further investigation, and two examinations cleared Becker to be fit for duty.
“When I read through the last report, I did not feel that it had done what it was supposed to do. It wasn’t the information as much as I just thought it was a very incomplete report,” said Morris. “I’d like to have something ahead of time, so that the other commissioners and I have something to review.”
For this investigation, the FMB Fire Board, which includes two newly elected members and one re-elected commissioner, decided not to suspend or place their fire chief on administrative leave.