By John Nickerson
Staff Writer
January 31, 2007
NORWALK - Fire Chief Denis McCarthy accused a panel investigating possible racism in the fire department of violating his rights when it called for him to be suspended during an unadvertised meeting earlier this month.
McCarthy told members of the Common Council investigative subcommittee during its second meeting last night that their Jan. 19 vote recommending Mayor Richard Moccia suspend him while the panel completes its investigation was "clearly a violation of my rights" because he was not notified such a vote was under consideration.
The investigation panel, a subcommittee of the Health, Welfare and Public Safety Committee, held the Jan. 19 meeting despite questions at the time whether the meeting was properly posted and legally called.
City meeting calendars for that week did not list the meeting.
The meeting was attended by the chairwoman, the Rev. Phyllis Bolden, and members Carvin Hilliard, Herb Grant, Richard McQuaid and Joanne Romano. They unanimously voted to seek McCarthy's suspension.
The subcommittee was assembled to investigate a videotape purportedly showing a firefighter using two racial slurs in a fire house.
The tape became an issue when suspended firefighter Scot Wilson mentioned its contents in a state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities complaint filed last summer.
In the complaint, Wilson, who faces termination by the Board of Fire Commissioners for reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol in September, questions whether white firefighters receive preferential treatment and alleges he was "discriminatorily harassed."
Subcommittee members last night said they hope to find out who was on the tape and what the response was when the March 2005 tape became known to city officials.
The subcommittee will meet Feb. 14 and plans to invite former Mayor Alex Knopp, past and current members of the Board of Fire Commissioners, and former fire Chiefs Sanford Anderson and James Verda, and Wilson.
During last night's meeting, McCarthy said there was no reason to suspend him if the tape was made in March 2005 and he started working for the city that May.
Grant told McCarthy that his presence as chief could impede the investigation.
In a heated exchange, McCarthy said the suggestion that he would somehow throw off the investigation "impugns my integrity.
"I am committed to this city and I am committed to my firefighters," he said.
Grant said that even though McCarthy was hired after the tape was made, his leadership had to be examined after its discovery.
Moccia was not available last night for comment on the suspension.
Bolden said she has interviewed firefighters and is convinced the department has a racism problem with some of its 16 minority members.
"The atmosphere is not conducive to wholesomeness," Bolden said.
McCarthy disagreed, saying that Quest Initiates reported yesterday afternoon that there is not a pattern of racism.
Quest was hired to assess whether racism exists in the department.
Quest said it received "a very positive impression" from the department, McCarthy said.
Soon after convening last night's meeting, Bolden attempted to bring the members into executive session, saying that she had some "private things to share" of a personnel nature with the committee.
But Corporation Counsel Peter Nolin objected, saying that the agenda for the meeting made no mention of what was to be discussed in executive session.
Bolden said Nolin's legal point was administrative meddling in the affairs of the subcommittee and said she was being "smoke-screened."
While discussing who would be interviewed at the Feb. 14 meeting, the subcommittee turned down requests from McCarthy and fire union President Michael Foley that they be notified of who would be called for questioning.
But subcommittee members said they would allow firefighters to bring union representatives to the meeting.
Copyright © 2007, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.