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Hernando Today

Heated words fly at fire board meeting

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By TONY HOLT

Hernando Today

Published: October 30, 2009

SPRING HILL - The back-and-forth between fire commissioners began seconds after the Pledge of Allegiance.

Spring Hill Fire Board Chairman Leo Jacobs announced at the beginning of Wednesday's meeting that fire commissioners could no longer contact the attorney without getting board approval first.

"Mr. Chairman, could you be a little more specific?" replied Fire Commissioner Rob Giammarco. "I'm an elected official. I can ask anything I want. You've had many conversations with the attorney."

The two sniped at each other for a few more seconds - one talking over the other - until finally Jacobs snorted, "Just stop it. I don't want a long conversation on this."

Then the public comments began.

Spring Hill resident Ken Fagan, who has made a routine out of criticizing Jacobs, referred to him as "King Leo."

It was during Fagan's calls for his resignation Wednesday night that prompted Jacobs to retort, "Sir ... you don't speak for Spring Hill."
Board attorney Andrew Salzman told Fagan to address the board as a whole, but Fagan continued to zero in on Jacobs.

Fire commissioner John Pasquale then spoke up.

"(You're) acting like a bunch of nitwits," he said while Fagan and Jacobs continued to jaw at one another.

"Thank you for your ignorance," Fagan told Jacobs as he returned to his seat.

Earlier in the month, one Spring Hill Fire Rescue employee had reported that another had falsified payroll documents.

It was a charge Chief Mike Rampino did not find credible.

Giammarco suggested an outside agency step in and investigate. His motion was not seconded.

The fire commissioner brought it up again during Wednesday's meeting.

The board voted 4-1 to uphold the chief's conclusion. There were no grounds for an outside investigation, said the majority. Giammarco disagreed.

"We had two employees who could not get along and one of them decided to leave because they couldn't get along," Rampino said.

"It doesn't take a whole lot of investigating to show there wasn't anything going wrong," he continued. "What does happen when someone falsifies a timecard is that he would no longer work here ... He's doing his job and he's doing it well. (Fraud) doesn't exist."

Giammarco further riled Rampino during the meeting when he called the district "wasteful" and said it had a history of careless spending.

"I don't appreciate that sort of comment made toward staff," the chief said. "I don't think I've ever skirted anything ... If I felt I've done something wrong, I'll say it."

During his closing comments, Giammarco complained again about the meeting, aiming a veiled shot at the chairman for the way it was handled.

"This was a terrible meeting and I apologize to everyone," he said. "This is not how we're supposed to be carrying on business, especially when we're dealing with a $16 million budget."

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

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