NORTH COLLEGE HILL, Ohio (WXIX) – North College Hill’s fire chief was put on administrative leave effective immediately at 6 p.m. Saturday, the city announced in a news release shortly after.
This comes on one day after Chief Brian Fels and 14 other members of the fire department resigned effective Sunday, March 17 due to a variety of issues with two of the city’s top administrators that they say have turned increasingly “hostile” to the point the situation became “intolerable.”
North College Hill Police Chief Ryan Schrand was named acting Public Safety Director until a fire chief can be named, according to the city’s statement.
There are about 25 active duty firefighters now in North Collge Hill, which has about 9,556 residents and makes about 2,900 fire and EMS runs a year. At least one firefighter is on leave because he’s going through the Cincinnati Police Department’s academy.
Once the resignations take effect, there will only be 10 active-duty firefighters left, FOX19 NOW has confirmed.
Mutual aid partners in Hamilton County will assist North College Hill with fire runs and there will be no service interruption, the city says.
“We assure the community that this action is being taken to maintain the continued effective operation of the fire department and the proper legal use of fire levy and other funds. While we cannot provide any details at this time due to an ongoing investigation, we will keep the public informed of additional developments as appropriate,” the city’s statement reads.
“We appreciate the service of our remaining firefighters and will collaborate with them to move forward.”
Reached for comment Saturday night, Chief Fels said he was not permitted by the city to comment.
Hours earlier, on Saturday morning, North College Hill City Council met behind closed doors for about two hours to discuss the fire department issues and the resignations.
Council scheduled the rare Saturday morning session to consider “the appointment employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of a public employee or official, or the investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee, official, licensee, or regulated individual unless the public employee, official, licensee, or regulated individual requests a public hearing,” according to a notice quietly posted on their website.
They emerged from their meeting without taking a public vote and immediately adjourned.
More than two dozen residents had turned out and the parking lot was full when police unlocked the doors to the senior center for the meeting at 9 a.m.
Residents, including many who approved a fire levy just a few years ago, came with several questions and concerns.
They left with those questions unanswered, even one man who attempted to talk to them at the meeting.
FOX19 NOW reached out to the city’s law director and asked why council didn’t publicly vote at their meeting to put the chief on administrative leave.
Council has no control over personnel, he said, the mayor does under the city charter.
The city’s law director insisted Friday the meeting already was scheduled to discuss issues with the fire department before more than a dozen veteran firefighters including the chief resigned, citing “many” unresolved issues related to the “poor performance and hostile actions” by the city’s top administrator and the human relations clerk.
Firefighters say they were told their problems would be addressed but they never were.
The distress caused by officials has had a “devastating effect” on morale and recruitment, retention, and daily operations, making it “no longer tolerable,” their letter states.
They feel the safety of residents is at great risk but they say they’ve exhausted all options and hope their resignations prompt changes.
“As most of you are aware, there have been multiple issues and concerns voiced and presented with regard to the poor performance and hostile actions of City Administrator Jennifer Ekey and HR Clerk Debra Eldridge as they relate to the fire department operations and its members,” the letter states.
“Despite assurances from the Law Director that our issues would be addressed, few if any have been resolved and what appears to be little to no effort put forth regarding investigating our concerns. Meanwhile, the hostilities, both overt and covert, have been allowed to continue.
“Due to this seeming lack of accountability and the administration’s continued failure to intervene on our behalf we have elected to resign our positions. The personal toll of the continued distress caused by Mrs. Ekey and Mrs. Eldridge on the membership, which has had a devastating effect on morale, recruitment, retention and day-to-day operations, is no longer tolerable.”
The firefighters also informed the public they serve that they are leaving on the North College Hill Facebook page:
“Citizens of North College Hill,
“It is with profound sadness that we write this post to inform you that effective at 6am on March 17th approximately 75% of the department, with nearly 170 years of combined service, have resigned their positions with NCHFD. This resignation includes all chief officers, the majority of lieutenants and the majority of the most senior and experienced firefighters and paramedics on the department. We do not tenure these lightly as many of us have friends and family who live, work and visit NCH and we all genuinely care about all of our citizens. However, many issues have continued to persist for months and continue to go unaddressed. We have had meetings, filed grievances, and attempted to work in good faith with multiple levels of administration within the city to address our concerns to no avail. We have repeatedly exhausted all options available. The mental, emotional, physical and financial tolls have culminated to this breaking point. We’re sorry that it has had to come to this, we hope that the city can do better in the future and wish you good health. Thank you for trusting us with the privilege of serving and caring for you and your families in their times of need, it has been an honor to do so.
They signed the Facebook post “Sincerely, The soon-to-be former members of NCHF.”
A short time later, they also added: “Please direct all inquiries to the city administration: 513-521-7413.”
The city’s law director, William Deters II, told FOX19 NOW on Friday “There’s a significant amount of inaccuracies and misinterpretations” but he declined to elaborate.
The city sent out a statement Friday night saying that while they were “surprised” to receive the mass resignation letter” there would be “no interruption” of fire service.
“There has been an ongoing investigation into several issues and concerns that were brought to our attention regarding the Fire Department. The results, to date, of that investigation did not provide the outcome they were looking for. Since this investigation is currently underway, we will not provide further comment at that time,” the statement reads.
“We are actively working to address the situation and ensure the continued safety and well-being of our residents. There will be no interruption of service and we are fortunate to have excellent mutual aid partners in Hamilton County who are willing to assist. We appreciate the service of our remaining firefighters and will collaborate with them to move forward.”
While the city’s statement says they were “surprised” the firefighters quit, they have been aware it was possible because a draft of the resignation letter went to the mayor and some city council members last month.
We put multiple record requests in for that public record, among many, nearly a week ago. So far, all the city has released is a copy of Friday’s resignation letter.
The city’s law director said Saturday the city had no records related to the investigations mentioned in the city’s statement or even any investigative notes when we asked for copies.
He confirmed he met with off-duty firefighters on Feb. 9 to try to resolve some of the issues with a wide array of accusations going back and forth between firefighters and city administrators.
They discussed included fire levy money, EMS billing revenues and ordinances needing to be ratified (approved by council) to be compliant with state law accounting and financial reporting requirements.
EMS billing revenues recently were redirected to the general fund from the Fire Equipment Fund.
Firefighters also raised concerns about longevity pay being revoked from the three chiefs in December and missing out on an opportunity for a half-million state grant for salaries and benefits for 2.5 hires as well as retention bonuses because they believe they couldn’t get the proper documentation from the city administration.
The law director asked the firefighters for four weeks to resolve issues, according to the firefightersaccounts of the meeting that showed up over the weekend on the North College Hill Talk Facebook page.
They didn’t want to but did after Fire Chief Brian Fels felt they should give Deters the benefit of the doubt.
According to accounts of the meeting posted on North College Hill Talk Facebook page and also sent to FOX19 NOW, several firefighters claim Deters made derogatory comments about the city’s administration at the Feb. 9 meeting and told them he would work on getting the proper ordinances passed to fix some of their issues but that didn’t happen.
When the firefighters told him at that meeting they were prepared to leave due to the hostile working conditions they felt they were in, several claim he responded: “‘Leave. I don’t live here.’”
He asked them to meet with Ekey and Eldridge but they were hesitant to given the tense situation.
“Early one, I would’ve agreed that we do that,” one firefighter wrote, according to a copy provided to FOX19. “Now that our members are being accused of stealing, creating a hostile work environment, and threatening violence, I don’t think that would be in our best interest. We are passed that point.”
The law director denies making those statements and said he regrets meeting with them now.
“I am really disappointed that mine and the Mayor’s efforts and attempts to resolve this issue between the fire department and the city administration were not successful. I believed the issues in dispute were simple to remedy,” Deters said Saturday night.
“I met with members of the fire department last month and had multiple conversations with the Fire Chief, City Administrator, and the Mayor. I tried my best to explain to the fire employees that the administration was attempting to initiate compliance measures to ensure audit compliance. That I understood these were significant changes. I also explained that I understood their frustration in all of the changes occurring at once.”I assured them that all levy revenue funds remained appropriated for the department use. That measure would be taken to codify longevity pay that the past administration did not accomplish.
“I also explained that I would work with council and the finance committee to create legislation for a special revenue fund so that EMS billings could be deposited in a separate fund. I told them that to the best of my knowledge all billing revenues were still being used exclusively for the fire department.
“When I met with the firefighters they had already prepared the letter of resignation and were preparing to resign in two days. I asked them to give me some time to try and begin the process. I did not promise any timeline. I asked for their patience. I told them this would take time but that we would find a way to make this work that was in everyone’s best interest.
“It was clear to me that nothing was going to satisfy them absent the city administrator and another employee in administration being replaced. I am very disappointed in their behavior and even more disappointed that my efforts to step in and help the situation has resulted in these employees accusing me and the mayor of being responsible for these issues. I worked very hard to try and resolve the issues.
“I categorically deny the allegations they are making regarding my commitment and loyalty to NCH. If I didn’t care I would not have worked so hard to try and help the department and bring this matter to a resolution. It is all very sad because these issues were not difficult to solve. It just required some understanding, communication, patience and creativity.
“Unfortunately, they chose to resign and move on. We will continue to serve the citizens of NCH faithfully and will ensure that safety services are maintained to the highest levels. I want to assure the people of NCH that all fire levy funds have at all times only been used for legal and appropriate purposes in support of our Fire Department.”
Previous state audits and its most recent one have noted North College Hill did not have procedures in place for effective monitoring of the city’s financial activity and the accuracy of accounting and financial reporting. Here is the link to the most recent audit, released in November 2023.
The city also has struggled to retain a finance director and currently doesn’t have a permanent one.
In May 2022, State Auditor of State Keith Faber’s office sent a letter to North College Hill declaring the city “unauditable” for the period Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2020, “due to inadequate records to complete an audit,” according to a news release at the time.
The city was given 90 days to revise its financial records and provide the data necessary to complete the audit or face legal action.
This declaration came after state auditors said they could not obtain the following information:
- A complete set of financial statements including footnotes filed with the Auditor of State for 2020
- Book-to-bank cash reconciliations for 2020
This all comes just a few days after FOX19 NOW reported a state investigation is underway related to alleged misuse of public money in this Hamilton County suburb of about 9,556 residents. Public records show that began last year with a concern over timesheet “cheating” by a member of the North College Hill Police Department.
The team has forensic accountants who look into allegations of misused public and taxpayer money, fraud and corruption and can make criminal referrals for prosecution and findings for recovery. Since January 2019, they have secured 117 convictions for fraud on 214 charges with total findings so far at more than $20.5 million, according to the auditor’s website.
While an auditor’s spokesman declined to say what prompted the probe, public records show it came from a North College Hill elected official.
Councilwoman Zorb “identified a concern with a police department employee she believes has secondary employment overlapping with time worked at the city” in response to a Fraud Risk Assessment Questionnaire last summer after the city’s 2021-2022 audit, state records show.
“It has been brought to my attention,” she wrote, “that an employee may be claiming to work at the city while during the same hours, claiming to work a part-time job. Essentially getting paid by two employers for the same hours worked.”
She identified the police employee by name and rank when the auditor’s office followed up with her and specifically asked.
FOX19 NOW is not naming the person because no charges have been filed.
The council member also wrote that the person is “probably still cheating on (the employee’s) timecard” and it’s “my understanding that (the employee) shows up substantially late for work (or has others report ‘in’ for)” the employee.
“This seems to be quite common knowledge within the PD, and it is just ignored/overlooked from the Chief down,” she wrote.
FOX19 NOW reached out to Zorb earlier this week but she declined to discuss an ongoing investigation
We reached out to the city administrator earlier this week about that as well but did not hear back.
Police Chief Schrand, who now will oversee the fire department as well as the police department,, was on vacation last week and is not due to return until Wednesday.
The police employee who is the focus of Zorb’s tip to the auditor’s office told FOX19 NOW earlier this week the allegation is simply not true.
“I didn’t do any of that stuff. The allegations were made, I heard that. They are looking into it. They are not going to find anything. This is going to be unfounded because I didn’t do that stuff. It is what it is. I don’t know where they are coming from or what information they have.”
State Auditor 2023 Management Letter to NCH Council
State Auditor Office 2022 Management Letter to NCH Council
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