Chaplain link will include disclaimer

If the chaplain is to have a link on the fire district's website, it must have a disclaimer.

That was the legal opinion of Assistant Attorney General Lagran Saunders in a letter to Andrew Salzman, the attorney who represents the Spring Hill Board of Fire Commissioners.

Salzman, in turn, wrote a letter to Spring Hill Fire Chief Mike Rampino advising him to provide a disclaimer on the fire district's website.

Copies of Salzman's letter were sent to all five fire commissioners.

Chaplain Jack Martin said he would speak with the chief in the next day or two and would follow the recommendation of the Florida Office of the Attorney General.

"I honestly meant for this to be a page for the (firefighters) and to honor the people in the community," Martin said. "I have no axe to grind."

The matter was brought to the attention of the Florida Department of Community Affairs in January after resident Ken Fagan complained Martin broke "ethics rules" with his website and that he has "crossed the line regarding the separation of church and state."

Fagan, a Roman Catholic, also openly complained the site had too much evangelical propaganda and discriminated against people of other religions.

Martin is an ordained Assembly of God minister and is the lead pastor of Praise Assembly of God in Hudson.

He said he has not used his website for propaganda and only referred to his religious affiliation and church in his biographical information.

A link to his website can be found on the Spring Hill Rescue Fire District's homepage.

Soon after Fagan went public with his complaints, Martin removed some references to the Book of Genesis and added his own disclaimer to his bio.

Fagan announced earlier this month he was running for a seat on the fire board.

In Saunders' letter to Salzman, he wrote "the district could reduce concerns about its fire chaplain webpage by limiting the information to non-denominational matters and providing outside links to religious organizations and resources in the community, provided that disclaimers are made ..."

He also stated the district's website "contains information that arguably may exceed the scope of information that is permissible ..."

In February, Martin said he was frustrated by the district's initial decision to remove the link from its Web page.

Firefighters and members of the public spoke to the fire board showing their support of Martin.

The fire commissioners later voted 4-1 to reinstate it while it waited for the Attorney General's response.

Salzman did not return a call seeking comment Thursday.