Norwalk firefighter's job at stake in panel hearing

By John Nickerson
Staff Writer
Posted: 12/03/2008 02:51:03 AM EST

NORWALK - A special Fire Commission hearing Monday may determine whether veteran city firefighter Andre Williams will be fired for violating his reinstatement agreement.

Almost two weeks ago at state Superior Court in Norwalk, Williams, 46, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of third-degree larceny. He faces a year in jail if he does not make $12,500 in restitution by the time he returns for sentencing Jan. 21.

Williams was terminated by fire commissioners in 2005 after being charged with writing $22,000 in bad checks.

He was charged with one count each of first-degree and second-degree larceny, along with six counts of writing bad checks.

Williams, who joined the department in 1986, was given his job back in December 2006, provided he lived up to a reinstatement agreement.

Part of the agreement involved Williams resolving his legal problems without a conviction.

Six months earlier, over the objections of state prosecutors, a Superior Court judge in Norwalk granted Williams a probationary program called accelerated rehabilitation for first offenders that would wipe away the larceny charges if the two-year program was completed successfully.

The conditions of the program required Williams to make restitution of $12,500, perform 200 hours of community service and not break any state laws.

By June 2008, Williams had not paid the restitution, and prosecutors terminated the accelerated rehabilitation program, court records show. Williams was

paid $92,332 in salary, benefits and overtime by the city in 2007, records show.

Williams' original criminal larceny charges were reinstated.

Deputy Corporation Council Jeffrey Spahr said the commissioners' special meeting Monday will deal with Williams' employment status.

"The issues that they will have to address are whether or not he is in compliance with the reinstatement agreement and which recourse they wish to take," Spahr said.

Commissioners Carol Andreoli, Michael Coffey and Mayor Richard Moccia could decide the agreement has been broken and his employment is "null and void," Spahr said.

Along with many other conditions, which have not been made public, the reinstatement agreement called for Williams to "successfully complete in full the terms of his pretrial diversion program . . . such that the charges . . . shall be dismissed . . . "

Spahr said that a special arrangement was made in 2004 allowing Williams to take $17,000 out of his pension to pay off the bad checks. Spahr said restitution was never made.

Spahr said Williams later told him that the money was spent on lawyers' fees, child support and back alimony.

Attorney Daniel Hunsberger, who will be representing Williams, said it is too early for the commission to make a decision.

"It would be premature to take any action until the judge had rendered his final decision in the matter. There is nothing in the agreement that requires that they terminate him," Hunsberger said Tuesday.

Hunsberger declined further comment on the agreement because it was to be kept confidential, and he did not have permission to talk about it publicly.

- Staff Writer John Nickerson can be reached at john.nickerson@scni.com or 750-5307.