Immokalee fire chief ousted

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IMMOKALEE, Fla. Immokalee Fire Control District Chief Paul Anderson was fired Wednesday amid concerns of improper payouts and complaints from firefighters.

District commissioners voted unanimously to fire him without cause. Deputy Chief Michael Choate will serve as interim chief.

The district owes more than $50,000 in severance pay to Anderson, who recently completed a three-year contract.

Anderson improperly requested and received nearly $5,000 in advance payments for unused vacation time in his four years as chief, commissioners said during a hearing last month. Anderson claimed he was unaware that he wasn’t qualified for the payments and that he had no ill intent.

Below is a letter Anderson sent requesting the advance:

Two of Anderson’s battalion chiefs told commissioners that department morale is at an all-time low. They also claimed the chief doesn’t care about his firefighters, always blames others and simply doesn’t accept responsibility.

Anderson had been chief since March 2013.

 

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