Falcon Fire Protection District volunteer firefighters, Tom Resha and Dave Nadeau, have withdrawn their Equal Employment Opportunity Commission age discrimination complaints against the FFPD. At a special FFPD meeting in early January, board president Mike Collins read their notification of withdrawal.Resha and Nadeau filed their complaints with the board in July, along with two other volunteer firefighters, Alex Donnell and John Scorsine, in response to a physical fitness test they were required to take.The notification stated, in part, that “from the beginning of this unfortunate series of events, we sought the betterment of the department and the resolution of what we considered a serious issue. When we lodged the EEOC complaint with the board, we were within our rights. The concern was real, valid and justified.”We have endured inappropriate vilification, character assassination and other attacks within the department and surrogates within the community that can only be considered retaliation. Despite these facts, we have decided to take the high ground and begin a reconciliation process … it is time to move forward with the healing process within the community and to focus on building a stronger and healthier department. As such, we will not pursue formal EEOC action based on this issue.”According to the statement, Resha and Nadeau said some of the issues in their complaint had been resolved, such as the use of the physical fitness test that caused the controversy, but other issues remained like the selection of Scorsine and Nadeau to serve in the current vacant volunteer lieutenant positions.Other firefighters also had issues with the promotion of Scorsine and Nadeau.Former volunteer chief and former FFPD board member Bud Kucera read a letter expressing concern about how the board should handle the EEOC complaints.Kucera and former volunteer chiefs, assistant chiefs and board members Dick Stuart, Dan Kupferer, Rick Wildman, Vern Kauffman, Richard Ayer and Barry Springer signed the letter.Kucera: “It has come to the attention of the undersigned … that the board of directors is considering taking near term action to promote volunteer firefighter John Scorsine to the rank of lieutenant, bypassing established processes for professional review and recommendation for promotion by the senior leadership of the department. We understand this action has been demanded by firefighter Scorsine upon threat that he will file a lawsuit against the district if his demand is not met.”In the letter, they requested that the board “table any pending actions concerning volunteer officer appointments, to await recommendations of the (recently formed) organizational committee and to implement any recommendations involving officer appointments in accordance with established professional promotion procedures.”The arbitrary promotion of volunteer firefighter Scorsine in advance of identification of specific needs for volunteer officers by the organizational committee and without regard for the traditional promotion selection processes would not be viewed by the Falcon community as intending to strengthen the leadership within the district, but rather as a politically motivated appointment.”Collins also read a statement from the board:”The Falcon fire protection board of directors promptly investigated the original complaint made by four volunteer members of the department, identified some deficiencies in application of district policies and procedures and believes it has adequately addressed the concerns brought to its attention.”The board is committed to launching a climate assessment survey to investigate potential causes of unrest within the department and will promptly address any additional sources of concern identified by the study.””I would personally like to thank you all for your patience,” Collins said. “Hopefully, this healing process will start, and we can get on with what we are supposed to do, which is (to) serve the citizens of this community.”Dena Bramhall, board director and Scorsine’s wife, was absent from the Jan. 6 special board meeting with permission from the board. Director Richard Martin attended via telephone.
