New investigation focuses on Springfield fire chief

Hughes faces a hearing on misdemeanor charges in county court in December.

By MARY GRZEBIENIAK

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

NEW SPRINGFIELD — A new investigation involving Springfield Township Fire Chief Brian Hughes has been launched with little explanation by township trustees.

Trustees met in a special session Monday, called for the purpose of discussing disciplinary action against Hughes.

After a closed-door meeting with Tim Tusek, an assistant Mahoning County prosecutor, trustees took no action.

But they made a statement that while the issue is Hughes’ “lack of a paramedic license,” trustees would not take any action since the matter “is being investigated by the pharmacy board.”

Hughes told The Vindicator the allegations are “basically a witch hunt,” and said that “some people in the EMS [emergency medical services] and one board member are trying to get rid of me before the end of the year.”

He said his lawyer has told him not to comment further.

Hughes, who begins a 90-day unpaid suspension from his job Nov. 1, said the allegations are that his paramedic license “supposedly expired Oct. 22, 2007.” But he would not say whether the license has actually expired.

He said the controversy also involves his turning in a so-called “drug bag,” which contains prescription drugs in his custody as fire chief for use in township emergency rescue operations.

Hughes said he turned the bag in Friday to township officials in the presence of several witnesses after he was asked to do so by George Pavlic, a state narcotics agent; Dr. Anita Zemac of Salem Community Hospital; and a representative from the Ohio Pharmacy Licensing Board.

Dr. Zemac oversees the township EMS service.

During Monday’s meeting, Trustee Gerald Guterba passed papers to the other trustees and referred to an Oct. 23, 2007, incident without explaining further.

Hughes said that when he initially talked to Pavlic on Oct. 23 and 24, he was off sick. He told Pavlic he would put the bag in his office at the township building within the next few days.

Trustees imposed a suspension on Hughes on Oct. 11 after a hearing in which they found him guilty of:

U Unauthorized use of township property.

U Willful neglect of duties.

U Giving a false statement to a township police officer.

U Directing that a April 25, 2005, controlled training burn be reported as an emergency through the 911 system.

U Failing to obtain Environmental Protection Agency burn permits.

U Violating EPA laws and failing to supervise subordinates.

U Unnecessarily endangering the public and emergency personnel by failing to inspect the property involved.

The incident involved a barn fire at 4613 E. Garfield Road. Hughes has maintained he had the authority as chief to have the fire called in as if it were a true emergency in order to provide a more authentic training experience for firefighters.

A hearing has been set for Hughes at 10 a.m. Dec. 7 in Mahoning County Court in Canfield on misdemeanor charges stemming from that fire.

In related business, at a special meeting Saturday, trustees appointed Matt Gebhardt, first captain at township Fire Station 23, as interim fire chief to serve during Hughes’ suspension. Gebhardt will work part time for $750 per month and have a $50 monthly cell phone stipend.