Sumpter Township Board fires Fire Chief Januszyk without cause

At the end of the April 27 zoom board meeting, after listing reasons why they wanted to fire Fire Chief Joe Januszyk, the Sumpter Township Board voted 5-2 to remove him without cause.
Although it was listed as a closed-door session on Januszyk, Januszyk called for the meeting to be open to the public.
Supervisor Tim Bowman had put the item on the agenda and made a motion to vote to terminate Chief Januszyk. Trustee Peggy Morgan said she had a question on the motion, which had no second.
Attorney Rob Young said they have to have a second on the motion and then a discussion before a vote.
Young asked Supervisor Bowman if he meant to call for a motion to be made and Trustee Don LaPorte made the motion, seconded by Trustee Tim Rush to terminate Januszyk, effective immediately, and put Rick Brown in as interim chief with the same pay as the previous chief.
Clerk Esther Hurst started to call the roll for a vote, but Young said you have to discuss the motion. The question should be is there any discussion on the motion.
Trustee Matt Oddy asked LaPorte if Januszyk was being terminated for cause or without cause.
Trustee LaPorte paused, sighed, and replied it would be without cause, “with respect to the outgoing fire chief.” LaPorte said without cause would mean he can get his contract honored to the fullest and received 30 days severance pay.
Young said there is seven days’ notice plus the 30 days severance pay.
LaPorte, who made the motion to fire the chief, not only serves on the fire department under Chief Januszyk, but is the board’s liaison to the fire department, essentially serving over Januszyk.
The 5-2 vote was taken with Trustee Morgan voting “absolutely not” and Treasurer Jim Clark voting, “no.”
The board had voted 5-2 at its April 13 meeting to fire Fire Fighter Colleen “Armatis, with Morgan voting “hell, no” and Clark voting “no.”
Januszyk’s firing stemmed from what he said at the hearing for Armatis, said Supervisor Bowman in starting the discussion on the fire chief.
Bowman said the board requested Public Safety Director Eric Luke to discuss problems at the fire house with Joe Januszyk and he requested Joe should be terminated.
“Everybody is upset about me saying something about the whistle blower,” Januszyk said, noting he had no problem with a whistle blower. He said the problem he had was that he was told the investigation was for 14 months and he assumed the whistleblower – somebody employed by Sumpter Township — knew something for 14 months and didn’t tell him.
Januszyk said Chief Luke corrected him saying it was only three to four months earlier that he was informed about Armatis.
Trustee Morgan started to speak and Director Luke cut in saying, “I want to make it clear I did not bring the termination request to the board. This is a board action, an issue with what he said at the last board meeting. Statements from the last meeting.”
“It’s what he said that makes this board want to terminate him,” Morgan said.
“It’s not what he said,” Supervisor Bowman said. “I don’t think he did his job for 14 months. The facts were facts. He was calling out the whistleblower.”
“That wasn’t what he said,” Morgan replied.
“Wow,” said LaPorte. “Joe can speak for himself.”
Januszyk said he was at a “bonfire” for eight and a quarter hours before the meeting on Armatis and had nothing to eat. He said he is a diabetic and his blood pressure was down to 80, and it’s always 120-130. He said under that circumstance, “You kind of lose it.”
He said he never called the employee a “whistleblower.”
“Joe and I had a conversation,” LaPorte said. “The person who came forward was just as guilty as she was, is what you said.” LaPorte said 14 months in a row Januszyk had attested payroll was right. “If you were taken advantage of, I don’t know,” he said.
“Someone was committing time-card fraud … and it’s your responsibility, nobody else’s. There’s where I stand,” LaPorte said.
“I never denied any of the responsibility,” Januszyk said. “I told you that.”
Morgan asked Januszyk how long he had been with the department and he said almost 43 years.
“You dedicated your time and everything to the fire department,” Morgan said. “Nobody went to the fire station to ask anyone in the fire department about the incident. Ninety-five percent of the fire fighters are supporting Joe – in not terminating him. If I am incorrect, Joe, will you correct me?” Januszyk replied, “Sure.”
“Here’s what happened,” Morgan said. Fire fighters were upset with Armatis for making $27,000 last year. But, she was steppin up and taking jobs for the sake of the department and the chief.
Oddy cuts in loudly asking attorney Young to shut her down.
Young said the issue was not with Armatis, but with the statement that the employee was just as guilty as Armatis and if she was denied culpability it would affect concerns with Januszyk not doing his job.
“This is Joe’s hearing, is it not?” Morgan asked.
Trustee Rush yelled out, “Point of order … I would like to keep this in a civil manner … all board members should request the floor from the supervisor.”
“I would like to vote,” Bowman said. “Everybody had adequate time.” Morgan said Januszyk did not have adequate time.
“You want to shut me down because you don’t want to hear what I have to say out to the board,” Morgan said, adding they are just going to do what they want to do.
Oddy made a motion to consider censureship on Morgan for disturbing the meeting and Rush seconded. No vote was taken.
“Do what you want to do,” Morgan said. “Ain’t going to set me up.”
“Nobody’s trying to set you up,” Oddy said. “Just trying to keep the meeting civil and proper.”