Shaker Heights to pay $81K to fire chief axed over cuts

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio (AP) — This upscale Cleveland suburb has agreed to give $81,000 in severance pay to a fire chief dismissed for not cutting his budget.

Last month’s firing of Shaker Heights Fire Chief Donald Barnes has been reclassified as a layoff, under a settlement approved by the city council. Barnes has agreed to drop a lawsuit over his dismissal by Mayor Earl Leiken.

The mayor had asked the chief to cut $250,000 from the fire department’s $8.3 million budget as part of cost-cutting throughout city government to avoid a possible deficit of $3.5 million. But Barnes refused a suggestion that he lay off a few firefighters.