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| William Kaempffer, Register Staff | November 23, 2002 |
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| City fire lieutenant reinstated | ||||||||
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| NEW HAVEN — The state Department of Labor has overturned the termination of a fire department lieutenant and ordered her reinstated to the service. |
| Lt. Sheryl Broadnax, who was fired early this year, won a partial victory with the Board of Mediation and Arbitration. The 19-year veteran succeeded in getting her job back, but the three-person panel did not grant full back wages, in effect transforming the termination into a six-month suspension without pay. The city said it would abide by the ruling by reinstating Broadnax, although officials disagreed with the finding. "We will review our options, but at this point we will work to honor the decision in an efficient transition back to work," said Will Clark, the city director of labor relations. He said Broadnax would be back on the job "as soon as possible," although no specific timetable was available. In the 11-page decision, dated Nov. 19, there was criticism of both sides and no decisive victors. The panel of arbitrators questioned the thoroughness of the internal investigation that led to the firing. Further, the board concluded that department rules were not evenly applied. "Lax enforcement, prior to the incident, was the order of the day," the decision stated. At the same time, the panel said Broadnax was not blameless. The report concluded she broke internal rules, acted with "deception" and exhibited a cavalier attitude about lax security at the firehouses and in department computers. Of her clean work record during her career, the ruling said "that was because no one pushed the discipline envelope." Firefighter Ronald Benson, a member of the New Haven Firebird Society, a group of minority firefighters, said he believed the decision was slanted against Broadnax, a former president of the Firebirds. "She’s glad she got her job back and she’s glad she’ll be able to get her pension, but six months is ridiculous for doing absolutely nothing," Benson said. Contacted Friday, Broadnax referred questions to Benson and fire union president Patrick Egan. Egan described it as a mixed victory. "The (arbitration) board’s decision certainly reflects that the Board of Fire Commissioners didn’t have just cause to terminate her, though they still put down a pretty harsh penalty with a six-month suspension," he said. The Board of Fire Commissioners fired Broadnax and Lt. John Brantley in February for violating department policies. A month earlier, the city maintained, Brantley improperly copied a private personnel file from the computer of the deputy chief while the deputy was out on a two-alarm fire. Broadnax was with him at the time. "She indeed was at the wrong place, at the wrong time, witnessing the wrong activity," the ruling stated. The personnel file contained information including employees’ home telephone numbers and social security numbers. Both Brantley and Broadnax maintain the information is readily accessible in all the firehouses and at the training school. At the time, Broadnax served as the department’s drillmaster at the fire training academy. Brantley worked as the department’s community education officer. Brantley’s case is pending before the Board of Mediation and Arbitration. Fire Chief Dennis W. Daniels did not return a call requesting comment. William Kaempffer can be reached at wkaempffer@nhregister.com, or at 798-5727. |
| İNew Haven Register 2002 |
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