BY ANDY TAYLOR
Montgomery County Chronicle

INDEPENDENCE — Montgomery County commissioners learned Monday that a formal grievance had been filed against them by the Montgomery County Rural Fire District #1 board of directors. The grievance stems from the recent dismissal of Wilbur Schwatken, Jr., fire district coordinator.

In speaking to the commission at its weekly meeting, Randy Haymaker, who is chief of the Dearing division of the Montgomery County Rural Fire Department, said the grievance was being filed to get answers from the commission regarding Schwatken’s dismissal. At the commission’s April 20 meeting, commissioner Larry McManus offered a motion to reappoint Schwatken as fire district coordinator. The motion failed for lack of a second by commissioners Tony Fowler or Fred Brown, thereby automatically ending Schwatken’s tenure as fire district coordinator.

Haymaker told commissioners Monday that the fire board was peeved by the commission’s action on April 20, specifically because the fire board was not consulted by the commissioners regarding Schwatken’s job performance. Under the county’s bylaws, the fire board provides an annual recommendation to the commission regarding the fire district coordinator’s reappointment. The fire board voted 7-0 last December to recommend Schwatken for reappointment in 2009.

“There comes a time when enough is enough,” said Haymaker. “They (the firefighters) are getting tired of the political bureaucracy and all of the crap that goes with it. They are getting tired of listening to the crud.”

After Haymaker voiced his displeasure with the commission, he presented commission chairman Tony Fowler with several CDs containing fire district records as well as receipts for recent purchases. Because the fire district is operating without a fire coordinator, the commission needs to find someone to handle the day-to-day operations of the fire district.

“This information needs to go to the state fire marshal,” said Haymaker, as the stack of CDs landed on Fowler’s desk. “And, these receipts need to be handled, too. I guess because you (Fowler) are the chairperson, you are the man.”

Following the April 20 meeting, Fowler told the Montgomery County Chronicle and Independence Daily Reporter that Schwatken’s dismissal was a result of the commission’s desire to see the coordinator’s position go “in a new direction.”

Asked to comment what that new direction was, Fowler could not provide any specific details, only to say that he had talked about the matter with his fellow commissioners.

“I vote one here as the chairman, and I bring the other commissioners with what I am thinking and options, and I quite clearly bring them to my fellow commissioners’ attention,” said Fowler.

When McManus was asked if Fowler had “quite clearly” brought the plan for a new direction to his attention, McManus said details of Fowler’s new direction were still fuzzy.

“Honestly, I am still in the dark,” said McManus.

Haymaker said he hoped that whatever course of action the commission considers would involve the input of the rural firefighters.

“I do wish, regardless of what happens, that the rural fire departments will be a part of this new direction,” said Haymaker. “If not, it will be the detriment to the county.”

Richard Catron, who serves as firefighter in the Sycamore division, said, he was bothered by the lack of information forthcoming from the commission about Schwatken’s job performance.

Catron listed various aspects of Schwatken’s job performance, noting that he had successfully obtained grants for new breathing devices, firefighting gear, thermal cameras, mobile radios, leather boots and firefighter pager devices. The total cost of those grants was more than $500,000, he said.

Catron also listed the equipment and trucks that Schwatken obtained that, he claimed, were a cost savings to the taxpayers.

“There is some question and concern as to the reasons that the commission sees the apparent need to change the direction of the rural fire coordinator when the current direction has been continually moving in a positive direction,” said Catron. “As a citizen of this county relying on rural fire protection and storm spotter services, we feel that the decision to deny Wilbur’s renewal was an irresponsible act and the citizens will voice their displeasure with your service to the community at the next election.”

Larry Felts, a member of the Liberty division of the Montgomery County Rural Fire Department, also asked specific questions about the commission’s decision. Felts wanted to know where Montgomery County was going to save money — which is what Felts reportedly claimed — with a rural fire coordinator in a new direction.

“We are still in discovery stages,” Fowler said.

Also speaking was rural firefighter Adam Bright, who said he had appreciated Schwatken’s leadership with the rural fire departments. Bright asked Fowler if he could provide any information regarding the “allegations against Schwatken.”

Fowler would not comment on any specific details regarding any allegations, only to say that the accusations were being handled “administratively.”

“I think you’ll find that all of the allegations have been on the front pages of the newspapers,” said Fowler, although he did not elaborate on any of those newspaper stories.

Later in the meeting, Fowler said an interim coordinator should be hired to handle the day-to-day operations while the commission seeks a full-time replacement. Fowler admitted that former commissioner and retired fire district coordinator Gene Tucker was his “choice” for that position.

However, when Fowler mentioned Tucker’s name, several members of the audience walked out.

“Tony, can you be serious?” asked Catron. “I will tell you up front: Mr. Tucker will not work.”

Fowler then suggested emergency preparedness director Jim Miller, even though Fowler did not mention him by name, and even looked to McManus, who is a former Independence firefighter, to serve the interim help.

McManus said he could not accept that position because it would conflict with his duties as an elected commissioner.

Fowler and McManus then agreed to meet Thursday morning at 9 a.m., to discuss the interim fire coordinator position.

“I think whatever we do now should involve the rural fire board,” said McManus. “They are the ones doing the firefighting. They are the professionals. We need input and direction from them.”

Earlier in the meeting, Fowler said he was “appalled” by the volume of accusations that had been hurled at the commission from rural firefighters and members of the public.

“You sure have a funny way of asking the commission to fix or correct something because I’m just a little appalled at the name calling and a little appalled at the finger pointing,” he said. “I have listened to your concerns, and now then, we will proceed with finding an interim coordinator.”

However, one resident in Monday’s audience was Rollie Clark, who recently moved back to Independence after more than 25 years of firefighting experience in Oregon. Clark said he was concerned by not only the commission’s lack of firefighter input in a “new direction” for the rural fire coordinator but also by Fowler’s rebuffing of patron concerns.

“I voted for you (Fowler),” said Clark, “but right now your actions are taking me the wrong way.”

Toward the end of the meeting, Ray Fowler of Elk City and brother to Tony Fowler, said he thought the commission’s decision to not reappoint Schwatken was the “right thing.”

He said the grants that Schwatken has received are funds from the state and national governments, both of which, he claimed, are out of money.

“Our nation is in trouble,” said Ray Fowler. “We’re getting all of these grants from governments that have no money.”

Commissioner Fred Brown was absent from Monday’s meeting due to health issues.

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UPDATE: The Montgomery County Commission was scheduled to meet this morning (Thursday) to discuss the hiring of a rural fire coordinator. The meeting has been postponed to next Monday.