Motley firefighter requests open meeting

At the request of Motley firefighter Kyle Frisk, a closed session scheduled during the Motley City Council's regular meeting June 9, remained open.

The "Preliminary Investigation of Allegations of Misconduct," in regard to Frisk, had been added to the agenda by Rob Sampson, council member and liaison to the fire department.

Although he didn't have a written complaint to hand to Frisk, Sampson said he had been told by fire chiefs that Frisk had shown up at a fire in Becker Township June 1, with a goatee and facial stubble; and wearing a SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus).

According to the city's personnel policy (and an OSHA rule), employees with facial hair that comes between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face, or that interferes with valve function, are not permitted to wear respirators with tight-fitting facepieces.

If what Sampson heard was true, the firefighter was in violation of the personnel policy.

A clean-shaven Frisk denied the allegations at the council meeting; stating that he may have had a day's worth of stubble on his face, but that he certainly did not have a goatee.

He said he had even apologized

to Fire Chief Troy

Davis June 1, Frisk said. "I told Troy I was sorry I

hadn't had time to shave; and he said 'okay,'" Frisk mentioned to the council. At this point Davis said, "I told him (Frisk) not to worry about it."

In Frisk's corner at the council meeting was fellow firefighter Jace Carlson, who said that Frisk did not have an excessive amount of facial hair at the fire June 1. "I probably had more stubble than Kyle that day," Carlson said."I can attest to that...I suited up the same time as him." Firefighter Andrea Carlson expressed her support of Frisk as well.

"It sounds to me like this is more of a personal problem with the guy who said it," Frisk said.

Sampson said that this was just a preliminary meeting in order to get Frisk's side of the story. "This is not a witch-hunt,"

Sampson said. "We just need to make sure that everyone's following policies... we want to make sure everyone's safe."

Council members Bruce Mills and Duane Solga both expressed concern that there wasn't a written and signed statement from the accuser.

"I think you need to find out why that person who said Kyle had a goatee said what he said," Solga said.

Mills didn't think the council needed to spend any more time on this issue until there was a signed document.

Because it has been an issue in the past, Sampson said, when he was told by someone that Frisk had recently shown up on the job wearing a goatee, he was required to bring it to the council.

He hadn't intended for this to go public, Sampson said.

Jace Carlson wondered how long something like that would be on a firefighter's record. He suggested

that the council

come up with a time-line - six months or a year - after

which violations are no longer hanging over someone's head.

Sampson said that records are kept on file so that there is a documented history of each employee. Knowing a person's history, Sampson said, can help the council know best how to base their decisions.

Sampson said that there is no hidden agenda; that he's just trying to make sure that the fire department and the city are safe.

City Clerk/Treasurer Terri Smith brought up the fact that she is frustrated by the conflicting statements that she hears.

Smith said that when people voice their concerns to her about the fire department, she feels obligated to share these with Sampson, since he is the MFD liaison.

"People say one thing to me; and then after I've talked to Rob about it, they say something totally different to his face. I am perceived to be the liar," Smith said.

Case in point, Smith continued. "You (Sampson) said you talked to all three fire chiefs and they had a different story (than Frisk's); and you've got one sitting right here (Davis) and he's saying exactly what Kyle said."

Sampson said he has experienced the same frustrations; but he has to accept people at face value until an investigation is done.

Sampson said he had suggested a closed session because he didn't feel it would be fair to have the allegations brought public without knowing both sides of the story.

Frisk said he wanted it to be public so that people would know what was going on.

Mills said that he thought it was to Frisk's

benefit to have had the

meeting out in the open. "This way everyone will be

allowed to make their own opinion," Mills said.