HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 08-17 Maplewood fire chief, five others on leave during investigation PIONEER PRESS 8/18/2015 Maplewood fire chief,five others on leave during investigation-TwinCities.com
Maplewood fire chief,five others on leave during investigation
Updated:08/17l2015 09:02:28 PM CDT Twin Citie s.co m
The Maplewood fire chief and an assistant fire chief were among a handful of employees with the Maplewood Fire Department placed on
administrative leave Monday after a complaint was filed with the city.
Citing the Minnesota Govemment Data Practices Act, the city would not disclose the nature of the complaint nor when it was filed. Six
employees were affected, according to Maplewood City Manager Melinda Coleman.
"All I can say at this time is that we have a complaint and that iYs being investigated,"Coleman said.
Those placed on leave include Maplewood fire chief Steve Lukin, assistant fire chief Clarence"Butch" Gervais,firefighter and paramedic
Richard Dawson,firefighter and paramedic Mike Streff, part-time firefighter and emergency medical technician Joseph Kerska, and part-time
firefighter and emergency medical technician Reid Troxel.
Of the six, only Lukin,Gervais and Streff could be reached via phone Monday, and all three declined to comment.
Maplewood City Council members also had little to say about the matter,with three saying they knew nothing more than the limited information
that was included in an email circulated to council members Monday.
Maplewood Mayor Nora Slawik also said she was in the dark about the details. She added that she has faith in the city's process to vet the
validity of the complaint.
She added that she expects more information will be available in the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's probe into Maplewood city activities remains ongoing. The investigation was launched at the
request of the city in October.
It came several months after then-City Manager Chuck Ahl gave abrupt notice of his intent to retire. His decision came three days before City
Council was scheduled to meet in closed session to discussion allegations against a person under the authority of the city council.
In Maplewood, the city manager is the only employee under council authority.
Slawik said she did not believe the complaint involving some fire department personnel was related to the FBI investigation.
Sarah Horner can be reached at 651-228-5539. Follow her at twitter.com/hornsarah.