Immokalee fire chief faces criticism

IMMOKALEE, Fla. Immokalee Fire Control District Chief Paul Anderson faced complaints about low morale and improper payouts Tuesday.

Firefighters had pointed criticism for Anderson during an Immokalee Board of Fire Commissioners meeting. Two of Anderson’s battalion chiefs said morale is at an all-time low, claiming the chief doesn’t care about his firefighters, always blames others and simply doesn’t accept responsibility.

“I do care about them,” Anderson said. “I’m the one that created all the new positions that they got promoted into. I’m the one that created all the new incentive pays to give them extra money.”

Anderson has improperly requested and received nearly $5,000 in advance payments for unused vacation time in his four years as chief, commissioners said. But Anderson insisted he didn’t know he didn’t qualify for the payments and said he had no ill intent.

The payments will be a matter of discussion when the commission meets next week, but some in attendance Tuesday want immediate resolution.

“I might take vacation time ’cause I don’t wanna be here for another week,” Battalion Chief Thomas Cunningham said. “If all this is coming out, and yet he’s still here, I don’t wanna be here.”