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Hernando Today

Chief Blasts Bosses In Resignation Letter

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By TONY HOLT

Published: February 15, 2008

Chief J.J. Morrison's final day at work Friday was an emotional affair — one that left him without words at the end of the day.

"Emotionally, I'm pretty spent," he said, deflecting any and all questions about the resignation letter he submitted the day before to the chairman of the fire board.

Morrison said he had no further comment beyond what was published in the letter. In it, he praised the department for which he dedicated 22 years of his career.

The letter also included a scathing attack against the very same commissioners who voted 4-1 last month not to renew his contract.

Morrison stated he was "blindsided" by the way the matter was handled.

"This is not the way Spring Hill Fire Rescue treats an employee," he wrote.

The chief said Commissioner George Biro had met with him in the weeks prior to the Jan. 23 vote to inform him of where he stood — he would not be in favor of renewing his contract for another six years.

Morrison stated he consulted with district attorney Andrew Salzman and asked him to contact the other board members to find out where they were leaning.

"He stated that based on the input he received from the board, he believed it would be a (4-1) vote in favor of renewing my contract," the chief wrote.

The two of them decided to table the issue and discuss it at a later date.

It was during that meeting that Biro made the motion not to renew the contract. Fellow fire commissioner Robert Giammarco quickly seconded. Two of the remaining three commissioners wanted to abstain, but legally they could not.

After a long recess, the five board members returned with a 4-1 vote. Gene Panozzo was the lone dissenter and publicly defended the chief. Morrison did not mention him in his letter.

Morrison was stone-faced during the meeting and declined to comment on the matter as he continued to serve his job. Commissioners agreed to extend the chief's contract through March. It originally was scheduled to expire Jan. 31.

"Your actions were personally and professionally embarrassing to me but, more important than that, your actions were embarrassing to the department that we all serve," Morrison wrote.

The letter was addressed to Chairman Charles Raborn. Raborn did not return a call seeking comment.

Due to medical reasons, Biro could not be contacted this week.

Some of the commissioners mentioned Morrison's health as a reason for their vote. The chief missed most of 2006 due to an undisclosed illness. He has never discussed the matter with the media and was furious at fire commissioners for bringing it up during the meeting.

"There were no questions asked of me," he wrote. "I was not afforded the opportunity to defend myself and I could only listen in amazement as my personal health issues became public dialog."

He later admitted one of the reasons for his resignation was that the situation was having a "negative effect" on his health.

"I ask that public discussions regarding me that include private medical information not occur again," Morrison wrote.

The only commissioner who commented about the letter was Giammarco, a long-time critic of the chief.

His first encounter with Morrison occurred several years ago, long before Giammarco was appointed to the board.

During the public comments portion of the meeting, he reacted to what he thought was a pattern of unprofessional conduct on the part of the commission and the district.

"I'm ashamed I live in Spring Hill," he said.

A short time later, Giammarco overheard the chief tell someone, "Get him out of here. I never want to see him again."

"Isn't it ironic I'm here and he's gone?" Giammarco rhetorically asked after recalling that story.

Union president Troy Hagar said Morrison will be remembered as someone who always had his employees' best interests at heart.

"He was always there for (us)," Hagar said. "He was a firefighter himself. He came through the ranks and he never forgot that."

The firefighters' union was mentioned in Morrison's letter. He claimed Biro told him the 110 members were prepared to submit a "no confidence" vote to the board. The commissioner reportedly used that as leverage to convince the chief to step down in a dignified way.

Hagar denied ever telling Biro that.

"That's the only thing I questioned in the letter," Hagar said.

He assured Morrison on Friday the union had no such plans.

Giammarco said the chief may have been likable, but he believes he has done more harm than good during his tenure.

"Liking someone is OK," Giammarco said. "The main (question) is what has he done for the department? I have found him difficult to work with. In the last six years, he's brought the morale of the department down.

"I think he has communicated only what (commissioners) want to hear and what he wants us to know," he continued.

Giammarco said he was confused by many different parts of the letter. He claimed Salzman never called or e-mailed him to ask him how he stood on Morrison's contract.

"He has never, ever contacted me," Giammarco said of Salzman. "If he had contacted me and asked me what I'm feeling, I would've told him, 'I want him gone.'"

Morrison would not take any questions about Giammarco or anything else. He said he spent most of the day trying to make the "smoothest transition possible" for his successor, Operations Chief Mike Rampino.

The board is expected to vote on whether to keep Rampino as the interim chief through November.

Hagar said Morrison's departure was difficult for many employees to accept.

"Our department is just getting people through that 25-year mark and reaching the point of retirement," he said. "We're not that experienced at saying goodbye and seeing people leave … It hasn't been easy."

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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