Outside the Addison Township meeting room Monday night, there were tears, hugs and well wishes as Fire Chief George Spencer quietly said good-bye to a few people.
Following a closed session meeting of the township board that lasted one hour and 13 minutes, officials voted 6-0 to approve Spencer’s letter of resignation, effective March 2.
‘I’ve got a lot of opportunities out there and I determined that it was just time to move on,? said Spencer, who’s served as chief since June 1998. ‘I’m very grateful for the opportunities that the township gave me to be able to do what I do and create a very good rural fire department here in Addison. I’m grateful to the citizens that they gave me the support that they did, so that we could accomplish the goals that we did.?
‘I’m very happy that I’m leaving Addison in a much, much better place than what it was when I found it.?
‘I wish him the very best,? said Supervisor Bruce Pearson. ‘I’m sure he’s going to do well some place else. There’s no doubt about it. I hope he gets a bigger and better place.?
‘We may be reading about him running the city of Chicago (fire department) someday. Who knows??
Spencer’s resignation was the culmination of a situation brewing in Addison since December.
On Dec. 22, Spencer, who lives in Oxford, said he gave a $183.60 pay advance ? the equivalent of 20 work hours ? to a firefighter, so he could buy his children Christmas gifts. The firefighter worked all of the hours for which he was prepaid in the subsequent weeks.
Questions soon arose because the township has no policy covering pay advances and Spencer said he classified the matter as an ‘overpay? for the records.
An investigation by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office was instigated at Pearson’s request. On Jan. 28, Spencer was directed by the supervisor to leave the fire station and not perform any of his duties until further notice.
For the next four weeks, Spencer continued to be paid, but was not allowed to work.
Neither side is able to say anything regarding how this incident led to the resignation given the township board unanimously approved a four-page ‘separation agreement and mutual release? between the municipality and Spencer, effective March 2.
The voluntary agreement included a confidentiality clause and a section in which Spencer, including his family members, and the township agreed not to disparage each other.
‘My resignation letter says pretty much everything that I’m allowed to say,? said Spencer, whose firefighting days began in Wixom in 1978.
As part of the agreement, the township even provided Spencer with a letter of reference outlining the former chief’s accomplishments in Addison.
‘Over his tenure at Addison, he has transformed the department. Addison has grown from providing basic firefighting and life support skills to a modern and progressive advanced emergency medical and firefighting organization, establishing itself as the new standard of service for the community,? the letter read.
Spencer and the township also agreed to release, hold harmless and discharge each other ‘from and against any and all claims or causes of action of any nature, civil or criminal, they may have against each other.?
As for money issues, the township agreed to pay Spencer all of his current salary and wages through Feb. 28, plus $7,234.35 for accrued vacation and sick leave, and $7,338.50 in severance pay, the equivalent of 45 days.
Looking back over his 11 years in Addison, Spencer is proudest that he was able to help bring Advanced Life Support medial services to the community in 2002 and help get the Insurance Services Office classification reduced from a 9 to a 5 in the township and a 3 in the Village of Leonard.
ISO ratings are measured on a scale of 1-10. Lower numbers mean residents can save on their homeowner’s insurance.
Leonard’s ISO drop was the single largest in state history and the village now has the best rural ISO rating in Michigan.
‘That was just exemplary,? said Spencer, who noted the drop saved residents an estimated $400,000 to $460,000 per year via reduced homeowner’s insurance premiums. ‘That’s a great way for the fire service to give back to the community.?
When asked what he’ll miss the most, Spencer immediately, ‘My guys.?
‘The crew and camaraderie that was developed there. The positive, friendly working environment that I created.?
Until a new full-time fire chief is hired, Assistant Chief Jerry Morawski is filling the position in the interim.
Pearson’s planning to ask the fire board if, during the search period, they would like to bring in a retired chief on a part-time basis to assist the department with things like maintaining all of its certifications.
The supervisor assured the chief’s position will be advertised and applicants will be required to take a test.
‘Nobody’s going to be given a spot there,? he said. ‘We’re going to test for the best qualified person.?
‘I do want to encourage our firemen to test,? Pearson noted.