Despite some rumors circulating around Addison Township, Fire Chief George Spencer was not arrested and carted off in handcuffs last week or terminated from the post he’s held since June 1998.
However, the Oxford resident has been under investigation by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Unit for giving an employee a pay advance, something he freely admits was a mistake because there’s no township policy covering such an action, but nothing criminal in his opinion.
‘I made a stupid decision with my heart instead of making it with my head because it was right before Christmas,? Spencer said.
Township Supervisor Bruce Pearson, a recently retired Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy, confirmed Spencer’s been under investigation, but declined to comment on the specifics of why for fear he might ‘jeopardize? the process.
‘Right now, I have a touchy situation here that’s under investigation and I’m waiting for the authorities to tell me what’s going on,? Pearson said. ‘If I tell you, then it’s not an investigation, it’s an allegation.?
‘We’re trying to protect everybody involved here,? Pearson noted. ‘I’m trying to give the chief all the benefit of the doubt. I’m trying to give all the workers the benefit of the doubt.?
Despite being directed by Pearson not to speak to anyone about this matter, Spencer spoke only with the Leader to put an end to the rumors, tell his side of the story and hopefully, salvage his reputation and that of the fire department.
‘This is probably going to cost me my job, but it’s the right thing to do,? he said. ‘Quite honestly, I want to minimize the damage to the department and to the township. I don’t want this to get ugly for anybody. The good people that I’ve got at the department have worked too hard to instill a lot of trust (from) our community in that fire department.?
The incident in question occurred on Dec. 22 when Spencer decided to give one of his paid-on-call firefighters, who was having ‘financial difficulty,? a $183.60 payroll advance so he could buy his children Christmas gifts.
‘His kids weren’t going to get a Christmas this year, if something hadn’t been done,? Spencer said. ‘It tore me up that this guy was going to go through Christmas without his kids having anything.?
Out of respect for this firefighter and his family, Spencer did not wish to publicize his name.
The $183.60 represented the 20 hours this firefighter was scheduled to work at the station over the next few weeks supplementing the full-time staff. According to Spencer, this firefighter, who’s been with the department a long time, worked all of the hours for which he was paid in advance.
The chief said he knew him to be reliable and trustworthy, that’s why he paid him the advance. ‘I would have never done it if I didn’t think that.?
The problem is Addison Township, unlike many businesses, universities, hospitals, etc., doesn’t have a policy for making payroll advances, according to Spencer. ‘We do not have a policy or a procedure to do it.?
Spencer said he did the necessary paperwork classifying the advance as an ‘overpay? and worked with the township clerk to get it taken care of.
Looking back, he regrets taking a financial action for which the township had no defined policy. ‘Quite frankly, I’m embarrassed as hell because I have a reputation of being pretty damn good with the budget,? Spencer said. ‘I would swear to God on a Bible this is the first time I’ve ever done this.?
‘I made a mistake. I’m totally embarrassed that I did this with public funds.?
But Spencer insisted nothing he did was criminal. ‘There was nothing for me in this. There was no criminal intent,? he said. ‘I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.?
‘My attorney has checked with a number of township officials, not in this area, and they said usually something like this (results in a) written reprimand,? explained Spencer, noting he only hired a lawyer because he feared his career ‘was in danger.?
Spencer said he also talked to a retired fire chief and two other local chiefs and they agreed. ‘Everyone I’ve talked to said this is not a terminable offense or criminal.?
However, that’s not the way the township saw it. Upon returning from two weeks at the National Fire Academy in Maryland, a fire department employee informed Spencer on Jan. 18 that he was being investigated.
On Jan. 20, investigators contacted the chief, but he said, ‘My attorney advised me not to give the sheriff’s department a statement.?
Pearson noted when the situation was brought to his attention the day after Christmas, he ‘had to act appropriately,? which meant contacting the sheriff’s department.
‘I’m in the dark just like everybody else until they complete that investigation,? he said. ‘They’re the experts. I’m waiting for them to tell me where we stand.?
‘I’m trying to keep a completely open mind on this. All I’m interested in is the facts.?
Pearson said he expects the results of the investigation to be in any day now.
‘I’ve been told something’s coming down shortly,? he said. ‘That’s all I can tell you.?
Spencer is frustrated because he said Pearson told him last week he cannot respond to fire calls, be at the stations, attend any public meetings or discuss the situation with anyone. ‘I want to go back to work,? he said.
Apparently, this all came about on Jan. 28, when Treasurer Dan Alberty and Sheriff’s Sgt. Robert Brudvig visited the fire station and handed Spencer a cell phone.
On the other end was Pearson, who was attending the Michigan Townships Association convention in Detroit.
Spencer said Pearson told him he’d heard there had been files deleted from the fire department’s computer system and as a result, directed him to leave the premises. ‘I basically locked up my office and left,? he said.
Pearson told this reporter he asked Spencer to take some time off after some incidents at the fire station, which the supervisor declined to elaborate on, demonstrated the need for a ‘cooling off.?
‘Things were getting a little bit tense and I just asked the chief to take a few days and relax until we get to the bottom of this,? Pearson said. ‘We thought this was a great way of just getting everybody to calm down.?
The chief and supervisor met on Jan. 30 to discuss the matter. Spencer said he explained that January is the month he updates the department’s standard operating guideline files and has the duplicate, outdated files deleted.
‘If there’s duplicate files, it can be confusing for the employees,? Spencer said.
Spencer said he thought the supervisor understood, however, as of Feb. 3, he’s still not been allowed to resume his duties.
Pearson insisted the chief’s not being punished. ‘He’s getting paid,? he said. ‘Nothing’s been taken away.?
But Spencer doesn’t see it that way.
‘When your personal and professional career are threatened, you don’t take a few days off and go home and relax,? he said.
Because there’s been no written documentation of his current status that he’s aware of, Spencer’s not sure what’s going on.
‘I guess I would call it quasi-suspension,? he said. ‘There’s nothing in writing. I’m not sure what to consider it.?
‘I don’t know if it’s a paid administrative leave, if I’m on suspension, I don’t know. I have been told they’re not using my vacation time and I’m still being paid.?
Spencer would like to get back to work so he can ‘stop the rumors and stop the potential damage to my career.?
‘Me not being there and all these rumors going around is terrible for the community’s perception of the fire department,? he said. ?(Residents) need to be able to trust the people (who), when they call 9-1-1, are going to come out and help them . . . This just erodes the community support that the department has and I don’t want that to happen. I don’t want this to end badly for anybody. I just want it to end.?
The chief believes the real motivation behind all this is an attempt to get rid of him because the township’s known since April 2008 that’s he’s been searching for another job elsewhere. He feels he’s accomplished all he can in Addison and is ready to move on.
In the end, Pearson’s just hoping for a positive outcome. ‘I’m hoping it comes out for the good,? he said. ‘If it doesn’t, well then, I’ve got an issue I’ve got to handle.?