MONT ALTO – At least six key officers on both the administrative and firefighting sides of the Mont Alto Volunteer Fire Department have resigned over the past few weeks, and sources indicate company turnout at fire calls may be down due to dissatisfaction over the handling of a personnel issue.
Michael Gardner, former Mont Alto Fire Association vice president, and for a time acting president, said the difficulty began when a young female firefighter accused the captain of sending her messages determined as sexual harassment, an accusation that two other women then repeated. Gardner’s comments have been backed by other sources.
The captain’s title has been removed, but according to Gardner and other sources, he has been permitted to continue living rent-free at the fire station and has not been removed from the fire squad, in violation of Mont Alto fire by-laws.
In addition, to Gardner’s resignation, President Bryan Stevenson resigned, along with Treasurer Amy Reed, who then rescinded her resignation and was recently elected vice president. Reed’s daughter, Courtney Leidig, who has served, she said, for at least five years as membership secretary, is now the treasurer. And a September meeting has been scheduled to select Leidig’s replacement as membership secretary.
Other key resignations included Trustee Jimmy Cutchall, Lt. Michael Carbaugh, Lt. Jeff Reecher and Training Officer Danny Tash.
Stevenson, when contacted for comment, would only say, “I have resigned as president.” Gardner, however, said the dissatisfaction with the handling of the three complaints has created internal turmoil and caused fewer volunteers to show up for fire calls.
Typically, Gardner said, three firefighters staff each engine, with two staffing the tanker unit. Now, often two staff the engines and one the tanker. In addition, he added, fewer volunteers are showing up at calls. Gardner and others said they would continue to show up for major calls but not as likely for calls to assist other departments.
Gardner and other sources have also questioned whether leadership within the department have the credentials outlined in the by-laws. A source wishing to remain anonymous said, “Some may not even have the minimum qualifications to enter a structure fire.”
The State Fire Commissioner would investigate such qualifications, Gardner said, only if there were an injury or incident on a fire call, and the commissioner’s office declined to say if they were looking into Mont Alto for any reason.
Efforts to obtain a comment from new association president Leon Bond and Fire Chief Mark Garling were unsuccessful as they did not return phone calls. LocalNews1.org left messages with each explaining the story the news organization had prepared.
LocalsNews1.org sent a staff writer to a recent meeting, the one where Leidig was elected treasurer, one of the two paid positions for the fire operation (the other is custodian), but he was refused admittance.
One anonymous source said, “The people of Mont Alto need to understand what is happening with the fire department.”
Gardner noted that until January, the four key association leadership roles were all held by members of the same family. Currently Reed and Leidig remain from that family.
