Alabama town’s firefighter crisis continues as fired chief sues for $500,000

3 days ago 2

The question over who leads first responders in Tarrant remains a political, legal and financial dilemma that divides city leaders and leaves firefighters without clear answers.

The town just northeast of Birmingham officially continues to have two fire chiefs as the mayor and council remain at a stalemate over how to resolve it. Both branches continue to blame each other for the crisis.

Meanwhile, fire chief Jason Rickels, who was fired by Mayor Wayman Newton nearly three years ago, recently slapped the city with a lawsuit demanding immediate payment of half a million dollars in back pay.

His attorney Scott Morro is asking a Jefferson County judge for an emergency hearing to order the city to pay up.

“Plaintiffs have exhausted all other avenues for obtaining payment and have no other recourse but to seek the intervention of this Honorable Court,” Morro wrote in his complaint filed Jan. 18. “Any further delay will cause great emotional and financial stress on the Plaintiffs.”

Newton fired the former chief in 2021. Longtime firefighter Patrick Bennett was then promoted to chief and has served ever since.

However, the Jefferson County Personnel Board gave Rickels a victory in November when it declared that Newton had improperly fired him. The board in its order said that Newton failed to properly notify the city council of Rickels’ termination, which invalidated the action.

Rickels said that if the city gives him the back pay he wants, he’ll go away without attempting to lead the department.

The leadership deadlock was a central discussion point during the Tarrant City Council meeting Wednesday night, where firefighters urged the council to resolve the leadership vacuum.

“We really don’t know what’s going on and we’re trying to get some finalization of this,” said Lt. Danny Hamilton, a 14-year department veteran. “We have come together to ask you guys to come together to get this resolved.”

Hamilton said the unknown future of the department could bring significant consequences among workers.

“It’s politics, I understand, but this is a situation that is hurting families,” Hamilton said. “This is one situation where we all need to get along.”

Fire Chief Bennett Wednesday evening also urged the council to resolve the dispute.

“I will not speak ill of anyone,” he said, noting his good relationship with Rickels. “But I was voted in by a majority vote of the council and I hope you all are satisfied with the job I have done so far.”

Pleas, discussion and an argument over the timeline of events, resulted in no action Wednesday evening.

Two competing resolutions were presented - one from Newton to officially fire Rickels and another from the council to retain him. Neither was approved.

Councilman Tommy Bryant, whose son is a firefighter, said he understood the anxiety among employees. But he urged them to have patience as the issue is resolved. He asked them to pray and to relax.

Newton, who was already at odds with Rickels, fired him after the chief was arrested near Atlanta in an altercation at a home he owned there. Charges were later dropped.

Newton told AL.com that he stands by his decision to fire Rickels and criticized attempts to reinstate him.

“Reinstating him would send a message that such behavior is acceptable, which is not only wrong but also harmful to the progress we have made in building a more responsive and trustworthy city,” Newton said.

Along with a demand to pay Rickels, the latest lawsuit against the city lists several other former employees including John Brown, the former city manager who was hired by the council over the mayor’s objection.

The state supreme court upheld Browns removal by a Jefferson County judge in December, ending the long court fight that began in June 2023. The mayor had sued on grounds that the council violated the law and changed the city’s form of government by hiring a manager without a vote of the people.

Still, Brown wants to be paid for his time as manager. He is seeking more than $100,000 in salary in addition to legal fees.

The town of about 6,000 people in recent years has become noted for its contentious council meetings, heated exchanges between the mayor and council and numerous lawsuits and personnel actions between city leaders, current and former employees.

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