Selma fire department update

Reported in The Selma News this morning:

Two Selma firemen resign, others reinstated
By Kelly Lake, News Editor 14.JUN.07

Selma Town Manager Stan Farmer said this morning that a meeting between town officials and Selma fire department officers held last night (Wednesday) has resulted in the reinstatement of six Selma firemen who walked off the job last Thursday.

He said that Buddy Whitley was reinstated almost immediately following the incident because he said he was not involved in the act of leaving his turnout gear in Mayor Charles Hester's driveway. He said fellow firemen included his gear without his knowledge.

Alvin TJ Heath was terminated Wednesday morning for allegedly leaving threatening messages on the mayor's telephone.

Two of the firemen involved in the incident last Thursday resigned earlier this week. They are Billy Baker and Greg Hooks.

Mark Green, who was an officer in the fire department, stepped down as an officer, but will remain on the fire department.

The remaining firemen were reinstated. They include Ronnie Lee Jr., Ronald Stanley, Thomas Harper, Gary Gainey and Mike Kendall.

Farmer said the firemen were reinstated in part because they acknowledged their actions on last Thursday night were not the correct way to handle the situation.

"I'm glad we had the meeting (Wednesday night)," said Farmer. "It was a good meeting and Eric Sellers (Selma Town Councilman) did a great job of mediating."

Fire Chief Joe Price said he is pleased that the firemen were reinstated and that they would be able to start answering fire calls tonight (Thursday) at midnight.

"The meeting itself was aboveboard," said Price.

My comments: I hope that the statement "they acknowledged their actions on last Thursday night were not the correct way to handle the situation" is true. I am fine with the reinstatement as long as they do not become troublemakers again. There should be less tolerance of them in the future. On the whole, I found these actions childish and irresponsible. I have a problem with people who allow emotion to get in the way of logic or rationality. Overcoming that is just a part of being a mature person.

Terminating the one who threatened the mayor is appropriate. The two who resigned...buhhh byeeee.