Friday, September 08, 2000
Fire chief harasser, some say
Mason report details employee complaints
By Kevin Aldridge
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON — When Billy Goldfeder took over as chief of the Mason-Deerfield Joint Fire District five years ago, city officials and firefighters alike described him as an outsider who brought in fresh ideas and a new standard of professionalism.
Today, however, the 27-year firefighting veteran finds himself the focus of a controversy that, in part, led to his resignation a week ago as Mason fire chief.
Billy Goldfeder
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An internal investigative report obtained by The Cincinnati Enquirer contained allegations that the embattled chief sexually harassed several female firefighters, created a hostile working environment by screaming and cursing at his officers, and routinely showed favoritism, especially to certain female employees.
The report was the result of a 45-day inquiry conducted by private investigators Richard and Sarah Stuart of Cincinnati. Mason City Manager Scot Lahrmer ordered the city's attorneys, Wood & Lamping of Cincinnati, to hire the investigators in mid- June after seven firefighters lodged allegations of misconduct against Chief Goldfeder.
Chief Goldfeder resigned 10 days ago in the midst of the investigation.
He continued to maintain this week that his decision to leave Mason was not linked to the inquiry. He denied allegations that he sexually harassed female employees. Chief Goldfeder, 45, said he has not seen the summary report.
“As a fire chief of 18 years, I've always done my best to make everybody who works for me feel comfortable,” Chief Goldfeder said. “If you ask anyone who really knows me, they will tell you that I go out of my way to help people.”
The report gave other insights into Chief Goldfeder's career. According to the report, he left the Loudoun County Fire Department in Virginia after he was investigated for sexual harassment.
The chief disputed that, saying the investigation involved a hiring issue connected to the Equal Employment Opportunity Act. He declined to go into detail.
“I was never accused of anything like that down there,” he said. “I left (Loudoun County) in good standing. If I hadn't, it certainly would have shown up on the background check they did when I was hired here.”
Mr. Lahrmer said investigators ended the inquiry, which cost the city nearly $13,000, once the chief submitted his resignation.
“With there being no charges against him and his decision to leave, we really saw no reason to move forward,” Mr. Lahrmer said.
Chief Goldfeder's resignation is effective Oct. 1. The chief, who made about $67,000 a year, could be retained as a consultant after Oct. 1, Mr. Lahrmer said. He said that decision and the consulting fee, which has not been established, must first be approved by City Council.
The 11-page summary did not refer to any criminal activities by the chief or reach any conclusions about his alleged behavior. However, the report stated that several female firefighters felt uncomfortable with Chief Goldfeder's “unsolicited back rubs” and “sexually explicit comments” about their anatomies, and about his relationship with his wife.
City attorneys refused to identify those who complained about Chief Goldfeder and removed their names from the report, saying they had promised the complainants anonymity.
Those interviewed included members of the Mason Fire Department, the now defunct Mason-Deerfield Joint Fire District and various people associated with the Loudoun County Fire Department in Virginia, where Chief Goldfeder was chief before coming to Mason.
According to the report, firefighters and others alleged that Chief Goldfeder:
• Sent roses to a female firefighter's home and sent her pages with messages about “how wonderful she looked.” She said the chief repeatedly asked her to spend the weekend with him at a resort in Kentucky and would make sexually explicit comments.
• Patted another female firefighter on the buttocks. Mr. Stuart wrote that the employee was afraid she would lose her job if she complained about the chief's actions.
• Showed favoritism and had ordered a supervisor to change a female employee's performance review from “average” to a better grade.
• Was having affairs with two women who worked in the department.
• Rigorously questioned his employees about the city's probe and began giving expensive equipment to some of them — a $200 light bar and a $600 set of strobe lights — after he learned of the investigation. A fire supervisor told the Stuarts that Chief Goldfeder referred to their investigation as a “witch hunt.”
The Enquirer attempted to talk with some city employees and firefighters this week about the inquiry, but many declined to comment and others refused to give their names for the record.
Mr. Lahrmer issued a gag order to city employees Sept. 1, advising them not to discuss the investigation among themselves or with the media. He threatened them with charges of insubordination if they did.
Joe Mettey, a former Deerfield Township trustee, sat on the six-member board that hired Chief Goldfeder to run the joint district. He said the board conducted a thorough background check on all the candidates it considered, including Chief Goldfeder.
“He had a very credible background and came with very good recommendations from some credible public officials,” said Mr. Mettey.
The chief, who seemed shocked by the allegations against him, said he wouldn't characterize the inquiry as “a witch hunt” but admitted to being “taken aback by the way the investigation was handled.”
Chief Goldfeder said city officials never questioned him about the allegations; however, he was interviewed by the Stuarts.
Tensions between the city manager and Chief Goldfeder were well known around City Hall and were reflected in his performance reviews.
The chief, who relished the autonomy he had as head of the joint district, had difficulty adjusting to the council-manager form of government that came with his role as Mason's fire chief, Mr. Lahrmer said. He assumed the Mason job after the joint fire district split in 1998.
Notations in Chief Goldfeder's personnel file showed Mr. Lahrmer had verbally reprimanded him several times for “going over his head” on matters involving the fire department.
Mr. Lahrmer criticized Chief Goldfeder in a 1999 performance evaluation for his inability to accept authority and follow the chain of command.
“His acceptance of authority has been token which causes his loyalty to be questioned,” Mr. Lahrmer wrote. “(He) has violated my trust by contacting council members when he doesn't get what he wants.”
While praising Chief Goldfeder for his knowledge, dependability and leadership on matters of fire protection and emergency medical service, Mr. Lahrmer criticized him for not working well with other city staffers, and his penchant for “bad-mouthing” non-fire employees.
“I know I haven't done anything wrong,” Chief Goldfeder said. “I know I can leave this city very proud of what I've accomplished. I know that I did my very best for the city of Mason and my employees, and I have nothing negative to say.”
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