By By GREG KATSKI
Community Editor
The Belhaven Town Council, during its meeting Monday, voted unanimously to relieve Derrick Myers, chief of the town’s fire department, of his duties.
The town replaced Myers with Jimmy Davis, former chief of the Washington Fire-Rescue-EMS-Inspections Department, who will be under contract with the town for four months.
Myers had come under fire from town officials for a number of reasons, all outlined in a press release issued by Mayor Adam O’Neal.
O’Neal’s allegations include threats by Myers and members of the volunteer fire department to “walk out,” or strike, over the location of a new fire station; efforts by Myers to undermine the restoration of the existing fire station, including having a mold inspection done without the town’s consent or notification; Myers’ failure to produce a roster of active department personnel for use by Councilman Mac Pigott; his refusal to fight fires that may occur at certain properties in town; his refusal to comply with the department’s purchase-order policies and his efforts to set up a not-for-profit corporation in the department’s name without council approval or notification.
Considering the alleged infractions by Myers, the council was concerned about the possible outcome of an impending state fire inspection of the department, O’Neal said.
“One of the main drivers of the council’s action is that they don’t want to leave anything for chance,” he said. “We’ve got to have the fire department in tip-top shape.”
O’Neal said that Myers’ alleged effort to undermine renovations to the fire station was particularly damaging to the department.
Ellen Allen, a captain with the fire department and Myers’ longtime friend, refuted O’Neal’s claim that Myers was trying to undermine the town’s efforts in regard to the fire department.
“That’s not true,” she said. “The town has tried to insert itself into a department that was running fine. They’ve disrupted the fire department, ruined the fire department.”
Allen said the department has received satisfactory fire ratings since Myers was elected chief some four years ago by members of the volunteer fire department and rescue squad.
“He was the most-devoted, dedicated fire chief that the town of Belhaven ever had. What they’ve done is terrible,” Allen said.
Allen, a Belhaven resident, called the dismissal of Myers “predictable.”
“They’ve wanted Derrick out for long time,” she said.
Myers said he isn’t surprised by the town’s move. During an interview Tuesday afternoon, he said his main concern was meeting with his former firefighters that night.
“We’ll pretty much talk about the situation at the department,” he said.
Myers, who works for Coastal Medical Transport, said he would issue a press release after the Tuesday-night meeting.
O’Neal said that Myers’ replacement, Davis, was brought in as an independent contractor to “straighten the department out.”
Davis’ main duties are to prepare the department for the state fire inspection, oversee renovations to the station and train existing firefighters and recruit and train new firefighters.
The town will pay Davis $5,000 a month for four months, and it will select a volunteer chief when Davis’ contract expires, O’Neal said.
“The first day on the job he’s been a ball of fire,” Town Manager Guinn Leverett said about Davis.
Attempts to reach Davis for comment were unsuccessful.
The council is confident Davis will help prepare the department prepare for the upcoming state fire inspection, O’Neal said. The inspection will determine what fire insurance rates town residents will pay during the next several years, according to the release.
“Ultimately, the Town Council will be held accountable for the state fire inspection. If fire rates go up, people are not going to be happy,” O’Neal said.
The council’s vote to dismiss Myers came after a closed session. According to O’Neal, the decision took 15 to 20 minutes to make and was voted on unanimously by councilmen Pigott, Nelson Guy, Howard Moore and Robert Stanley. Councilman Steve Carawan, in a brief interview Tuesday, said he did not attend the meeting because he was on a hunting trip.
When asked about his vote, Pigott, whose son used to be a volunteer firefighter with the department, said, “Whatever Adam says is cool with me.”
Leverett, who has the authority under the town’s charter, to hire and fire all of the town’s department heads, except the fire chief, said he doesn’t expect a mass exodus of volunteer firefighters similar to that of police officers after he fired George Hayden, the police chief, in March 2008.
Leverett said he could not be sure how the firefighters would react.
“I have no idea. I don’t know the firemen that well,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of such an exodus, O’Neal said, “I hope not. If there is one, we’ll be prepared for it.”
O’Neal said he considers some of the volunteer firefighters very dedicated.
“Hopefully, they’re there to serve the people of Belhaven,” he said.