Palm Beach Battalion Chief Facing Discipline Over Union Sponsored Website

Last March, I had blogged about former Palm Beach fire chief William Amador suing the Town of Palm Beach and Town Manager Peter Elwell, alleging wrongful termination and a violation of his due process rights. Chief Amador was terminated for his involvement in the “construction and maintenance” of a web site, www.palmbeachpensions.com, that supported the protection of pensions for public safety employees.

Now Battalion Chief Jason Weeks, 39,  faces discipline after an internal investigation accused him of engaging  in “unauthorized conduct of personal or other non-employment related business during assigned hours of work while on town property.”

Director of Public Safety Kirk Blouin  wrote to Weeks that  “As a result of the information contained in the investigative report and in light of the most recent and prior instances of either poor judgment and/or violations of policy, it is my intention to relieve you of your duties as supervisor resulting in a demotion to Firefighter/Paramedic and you will be suspended without pay for a period of 240 hours,”

It is reported that Weeks who was promoted to Battalion Chief in 2008 was drawing a salary of $104,093  which could reduce to $82,043  if he is demoted to firefighter.  Weeks is scheduled to meet with the Public Safety Kirk Blouin on October 18, 2011. More on the story.