State-Journal.com - Scott Morgan suspended from city fire department

Scott Morgan has been suspended with pay as training officer for the Frankfort Fire Department, now embroiled in a controversy regarding nearly $30,000 in training bonuses the state ordered to be repaid.

A city official told The State Journal Friday that Morgan was suspended from his job.

The official declined to be named because of possible litigation, the sensitivity of a personnel matter and other issues in the Frankfort Fire Department controversy involving Deron Rambo in emergency operations and three firefighters, one of whom retired.

City Manager Tony Massey said he could neither confirm nor deny Morgan's suspension. Morgan could not be reached for comment.

Mayor Bill May said commissioners will hold a personnel hearing after Monday night's City Commission meeting. May said it is unclear if the hearing will be open to the public.

"The public is entitled to know the general nature of the discussion, which would be that it involves a possible dismissal or a possible disciplinary matter relative to a specific unknown person or persons," May said.

"My intention is to put all emotions aside and deal with the facts."

Morgan's suspension comes in the wake of action by the Kentucky Fire Commission against the Frankfort Fire Department involving the nearly $30,000 in bonuses.

The state fire commissioners said at a meeting July 7 in Versailles they had received information alleging some Frankfort firefighter bonuses were awarded because of "forged" or "altered" training documents, according to an audio tape recording obtained by The State Journal.

The firefighters were identified as Thomas Young, Ray Travis and Daniel Miller, now retired. Those who fulfill the training are eligible for $3,500 in incentive pay or bonuses.

The fire commissioners referred the matter to the state police for investigation.

According to the audio recording, three Frankfort firefighters did not fulfill the 100 annual training hours required by the state for 2007 and Rambo, director of Emergency Management, wrongfully received the bonus from July 2003 to January 2008.

The bonuses amounted to $12,186 for the three firefighters and $17,523 for Rambo. City officials say that the fire commission's order to repay the bonuses will be appealed to Franklin Circuit Court.

Wallace Possich, chief of the Frankfort Fire Department has declined comment on the matter.

The training could include classroom instruction, watching an instructional video or learning new rescue tactics.

If one firefighter in a department does not meet the annual 100-hour training requirement, all firefighters could lose the incentive pay, according to state law.

Fire commissioners said all Frankfort firefighters will lose the incentive pay if the Frankfort Fire Department does not reimburse the commission in full by Sept. 1.

Rambo serves as the Emergency Operations Coordinator for the city and director of Emergency Management for Franklin County.

Frankfort Professional Firefighter's Local 1017 President Gary Gephart said he believed Frankfort firefighters were not the problem.

"This is not firefighters taking money from the system and dodging training," Gephart said.

Gephart said blame lies with Frankfort Fire Department administrators. "My position as president of the union is that there are checks and balances and accountability in place. There are individuals who get paid good money to make sure the system works."

County Judge Executive Ted Collins said the fire commission's ruling has no bearing on Rambo's position with the county. "What he does for the city is in no way related to the county," Collins said.

"He's doing an excellent job," Collins said of Rambo. "He's been a great help to Franklin County Fiscal Court."

Collins appointed Rambo in January of 2007 when he took office as County Judge Executive.

26.	Posted by ffdwife2 July 16, 2008
	first off I find it hard to believe that any ff would be short on training hours. I know how hard my husbands crew trains and it is not just sitting on their rears watching videos. They must be trained on all of the equipment that they carry. They are outside training in 90 degree weather so they are properly trained to protect and serve. They give up so much of their life. The men and women they work with are their family. I was told when I married a fireman that one thing I needed to understand was that they are married to the department also. The men and women that do this job are there because they love the job and they have taken an oath to protect and serve. It certainly is not the paycheck like some of you have aluded to. There is no such thing as a holiday, birthday, wedding, funeral. They miss all kinds of things for their family. The incentive that they receive is not a bonus for doing nothing like some of you think. The incentive is an excuse for paying firefighters a base rate of $11.47 an hour for a job that demands a lot of them and their families and puts their life in danger every day they walk out that door. That bonus helps to make their salary liveable. Most firefighters have to work second jobs or their wives work full time so that they can afford to live. So all I ask is please don't lump all firefighter in to one catagory. They don't deserve to be criticized because on their one oppertunity to decompress and unwind on a shift they choose to read a book, watch TV, rest(because after being up all night they have to come home and take care of kids, go to a second job or have work to do at home. Stick to the issue at hand and leave the others out of it. Those of you who are in the wrong with the incentive pay, be it firefighters, fire management, city managment, emergency operations ect. GROW A SET, you know who you are, do the right thing, think of some one besides yourself. The economy is bad enough. Don't make the innocent firefighters have to work any harder to maintain some financial peace for their families.

24.	Posted by doesitreallymattereddie? July 15, 2008
	I think i've managed to figure this one out and see if you can follow me along... As with every group there are 3-4 people that fall short. In this case they need the training hours. Seeing that 3-4 people aren't going to meet the State required, Morgan sends it up to Possich who in turn sends it up to Massey, 'Hey, these guys are short on some of their hours. Everyone in the department is going to loose their $3,500 because these 3-4 fell short.' Now, Possich and Massey agree to forge the documentation and so that they do not have 40-50 local firefighters loosing 4150k to the Fire Department's payroll. ACT II Fire Commission questions documentation, discovers forgery. Massey and City Commissioners scatter and scrounge for a fall person to take the heat off of Deron Rambo (who's at fault for receiving over $17k in extra pay by FRAUD, and being in an adminstrative City position with critical duties, in the Public Service, and for having lied about his education, application, etc.), Possich, who would have authorized the forgery, Massey who would (or should) have known about it and given the go ahead, and WE'LL BLAME IT ALL ON SCOTT MORGAN. Why? His job title is 'Training Officer'. This is a 'Training' Incentive. Scott Morgan is not totally void of all wrong doing, but he IS A PAWN. This is all speculation of course, but knowing the parties involved and the events as I think and ponder on the subjects... makes sense to me.