Jerusalem Twp. Fire Chief Harold Stanton
/ Brittany Patterson
The man in charge of Jerusalem Township's Fire Department will have to wait another week before learning if he'll be terminated.
On Tuesday, Township trustees listened to over two hours of witness and citizen testimony before meeting behind closed doors for deliberation. They adjourned around 9:30 p.m. without a decision on Harold Stanton's future as fire chief.
Last week, Stanton was given a 15-day suspension after township trustees claimed he allowed an individual outside the fire department to actively participate in emergency calls.
During testimony, prosecution witnesses stated that on multiple occassions, Jim Gray, a former firefighter and friend of Stanton, showed up at emergency scenes, and even used township equipment. Trustees said they verbally demanded that Stanton not allow Gray on emergency sites on multiple occassions. When Gray showed up at a housefire in late February, trustees said it was the final straw, and motioned for Stanton's suspension.
Jerusalem Twp. trustees notified Stanton of his suspension via letter. In it , they suggest Stanton was instructed on numerous occasions to not permit individuals outside the department to assist in emergency situations. However, Stanton failed to follow those instructions, resulting in misconduct of his official duties.
Defense stated that Stanton was unaware of Gray's presense at the scene because he was busy fufilling his duties as commander. They also suggested that trustees were going after Stanton and Gray because of personal disagreements among Trustee Chairman Joe Kiss and Gray's brother, Jim, a former Jerusalem Twp. trustee.
After witness testimony, several community members addressed the trustees, offering support for Chief Stanton, citing his long tenure with the fire department.
The trustees are expected to reach a verdict on Stanton's case on March 19, at 2 p.m.
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