On March 2, employees of the Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District presented a “letter of no confidence” regarding Fire Chief Angelia Elgin.
About 21 employees signed the document. Later, some firefighters said union representatives of Local 2665 threatened them into signing the letter.
Deputy Chief Airest Wilson said the people gathering signatures told firefighters, “People with the union will get control, and you people are going to be out of your job.”
Dennis Murray, president of Local 2665, had not returned The St. Louis American’s call at press time.
The signature collectors told firefighters that Robert Lee, a former board member, was going to get back on the board, and there were going to be some changes in the district – including ousting Chief Elgin.
The scare tactic had some teeth.
On Monday, April 26, St. Louis County Circuit Court will decide whether to give back a board position to Robert Lee. Lee was a board member for 12 years, but last summer he accepted a position with St. Louis County. According to state law, district board members cannot be government employees.
Lee said he refuses to speak with The St. Louis American. His lawyer, Neil Bruntrager, did not return The American’s calls.
If Lee gets back on the board, Rhea Willis will lose her position. That will leave Bridget Quinlisk-Dailey and Derek Mays on the board.
Dailey voted against appointed Elgin as fire chief. Lee worked with Bridget’s brother, Brian Quinlisk, on the board. Both Dailey and Lee have union ties.
Fire chief threatened
When Elgin became fire chief in December, the sick-leave and over-time costs that were out of control. By the end of March, the overtime costs totaled about $100,000 for just this year. Last year, for the entire year, it was $240,000. Employees were abusing the district’s open sick leave policy, and Elgin started pushing for stricter overtime guidelines.
But Dailey told Elgin to back off, according to the chief.
In a closed meeting with the board of directors in February, according to someone present, Dailey told Elgin if she did not back off of the crew change and sick-leave policies, her credibility would be ruined.
Elgin told Dailey that she considered that as a threat, and she did not appreciate it.
Dailey did not return The American’s phone calls or emails.
Within one week, Elizabeth Holland, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter, wrote a piece stating that Elgin had gone against the court’s temporary restraining order.
The following week, firefighters started the petition of “no confidence.”
While firefighters were circulating the petition, Chief Elgin began receiving anonymous tips in the form of letters, left at the district administration building. The American obtained three letters written anonymously by district firefighters, regarding Dailey’s interactions with union members.
In one letter, a firefighter stated that he overheard Greg Wood, the union representative and a district firefighter, talking with Dailey.
According to the letter, Wood said to her that they needed to get evidence to show the chief’s incompetence in order to get rid of Elgin.
Another letter from a firefighter stated, “I observed board member Bridget coming up to the firehouse meeting with Mr. Wood throughout various days/hours, bringing documents and holding private conversations with Mr. Wood.”
Another letter states that union members circulated the petition of no confidence.
“I walked into a phone conversation where other employees were sitting,” the letter states.
“Throughout this employee’s conversation it was mentioned that ‘as a union representative,’ he was going to try to gather votes throughout the fire station from union and non-union employees to try to get Chief Elgin removed from her position.”
The statute and the court
Many people have said former board members removed Robert Lee from the board last summer. However, according to state law, he “vacated” the position of his own free will.
According to the June 17, 2009 meeting minutes of the St. Louis County Civil Service Commission, the commission appointed Robert Lee to “the position of business services specialist, Workforce Development at a salary rate of $23.077/hour (approximately $48,000/annually).”
By state law, the moment a district board member accepts a job with any government, that person loses his/her position on the board, according to Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 321, Section 15.
“When any fire protection district director accepts any office or employment under this state or any political subdivision thereof, his office shall thereby be vacated and he shall thereafter perform no duty and receive no salary or expenses as fire protection district director,” the statute reads.
However, that’s not how Judge John Ross wrote it in a December 2009 petition regarding the district’s restraining order. On Oct. 20, a temporary restraining order put a freeze on assets and all spending unless approved by the judge.
State Rep. Don Calloway filed suit for the restraining order as an attorney.
In the December 2009 petition, Ross states, “Mr. Lee, one of the three elected directors, was removed by the other two elected directors, who in turn selected Rhea Willis to take Mr. Lee’s place on the board.”
Though Judge Ross stated that Lee was removed, the state law shows that Lee vacated the position once he became employed with the County, said Patrick Green, mayor of Normandy.
“Judge Ross didn’t quote from the law, he created a situation by implying that Bob Lee was removed by the board members,” Green said. “I find it extremely interesting.”
So far in Ross’ administration of the district, he ordered Chief Elgin’s salary to be held below the officers she commands. He ordered the district’s third ambulance to be put out of service, which resulted in a State investigation by the emergency medical service bureau. The state bureau had heard that district residents had to wait long periods for an ambulance.
Rufus Tate, attorney for board member Rhea Willis, said that at the hearing, personnel from St. Louis County will testify to Lee’s employment. Tate anticipates Lee to argue that the district should have held a hearing before it filled his vacancy. But he said the law does not require a hearing to replace a vacant position.
Chief Elgin’s position and her policies may hang in the balance.
