Last Updated: 4:17 p.m.
Flagler Beach City Manager Dale Martin today fired Stephen Cox as fire chief a little over a year after appointing the 16-year veteran of the department to the top job. The firing follows the resignation of five of the department’s 12 firefighters last month, and a no-confidence letter signed by seven of them, including some of those who had resigned.
“Your termination is related to the loss of confidence expressed in the resignations of several members of the Fire Department and in the attached correspondence signed by the remaining members of the Fire Department,” Martin wrote Cox in a brief letter this morning, telling him the termination was effective immediately–9 a.m. today. “Given those conditions, I do not believe that you can effectively lead the City of Flagler Beach Fire Department.”
Martin does not mention the internal inquiry he conducted by interviewing most of the department’s personnel. There is no word yet on the acting fire chief. (See: “Turmoil at Flagler Beach Fire Department as 5 Firefighters, Including Deputy Chief and Morgan Rainey, Resign.”)
Martin asked Deputy Fire Chief Jennifer Fiveash, who was among those who’d resigned, to be the interim fire chief and push back the effective date of her resignation, which was May 8, for 45 to 60 days. She has agreed. Lt. Morgan Rainey, who had resigned, also agreed to return for that interim period.
The undated no-confidence letter cites “ongoing concerns that have significantly impacted the organization’s effectiveness, employee well-being, and overall trust in administration.”
The resignations included those of 14-year veteran Rainey and Fiveash, the latter a Cox hire dating back less than a year. Fiveash, a former member of the Palm Coast Fire Department who’d swiftly risen through the ranks there, did not sign the no-confidence letter, though her resignation letter had referred to “professional differences in leadership approach, particularly regarding how I believe employees should be supported and served.”
Fiveash’s decision triggered Rainey’s and Trey Poeira’s decision to resign. Bruce Adams, the fire inspector, resigned coincidentally to pursue professional advancement elsewhere. A fifth resignation was that of a probationary employee, Carlos Paltronieri, to whom Cox had given the choice of being fired or resigning. Poeira signed the no-confidence letter, as did Adams. Paltronieri did not.
Other signatories of the no-confidence letter remain employed at the department. They are: Greg Evans, John Strickland, Jamal Prince and Kayla Mullen. Mullen last month filed a complaint about Cox with the Human Resources Department, describing an incident when he allegedly demanded that she work longer than a 48-hour shift, then lost his temper when she cautioned against the practice. Cox in a previous interview disputed the claim.
“There is a consistent pattern of behavior that has contributed to a hostile work environment,” the no-confidence letter states. “Employees across the organization have expressed concerns regarding communication practices that are perceived as misleading, inconsistent, or lacking transparency. Additionally, there are concerns about the use of pressure or undue influence in decision-making processes, particularly in situations where employees may feel compelled to agree or refrain from voicing concerns due to fear of negative consequences. These conditions have diminished trust, limited open communication, and contributed to a measurable decline in morale throughout the department. The severity of these issues is further evidenced by recent leadership turnover, including the resignation of the Deputy Fire Chief and two senior members of the department at the lieutenant rank.”
Rainey and Poeira were lieutenants.
The statement goes on to link Cox to “a breach of ethical standards and a lack of transparency,” eroding confidence and creating uncertainty. It charges him with ineffective management and flawed accountability, financial oversight and stewardship of department funds.” The statement has the telltale signs of having been put in its final form by artificial intelligence, lacking any examples or specifics, and repeating some charges.
“It is our position that meaningful change is necessary to restore trust, improve morale, and ensure the department can effectively serve both its personnel and the community,” the statement concludes.
Cox did not respond to a text before this article initially published.
“Acting Chief Fiveash is currently out-of-town, scheduled to return at the end of this week to assume the temporary role,” Martin said in a statement, noting Rainey’s return as well. “I have full confidence in the remaining leadership and staff of the Fire Department to continue to provide the public safety support expected by Flagler Beach residents and businesses. I will be working with the City’s Human Resources Department and Fire Department personnel to begin the process of recruiting the next series of Fire Department leadership.”
City Commissioner recognized Cox for his years of service and noted that under the city charter, such decisions are entirely the city manager’s. “I support the process that was followed and the decision that was made based on the documentation provided,” Santore said. “My focus going forward is on supporting the men and women of the Flagler Beach Fire Department through this transition and making sure they have the leadership and resources they need to continue serving our community.”
Like Martin in Martin’s letter, Santore wished Cox well.
[This is a developing story.]
Roy says
Bring back Bobby Pace. His tenure was arguably the most peaceful time in Flagler Beach Fire Department in the last 30 some years
Flagler beach Tim says
Do away with them all and let the county service Flagler beach for fire service. It should cut Flagler beach fire coast in 1/2 . Flagler beach can pay the county for more firefighters if it’s not happy with the county’s plan. Someone should look in to it.
Flagler beach Tim says
Do away with them all and let the county service Flagler beach for fire protection. It should cut the cost in 1/2 for it. If Flagler beach wants more firefighters it can pay the county more for them . Someone should look in to this
Mothersworry says
How about we find out what the real problems are. Is the city so out of touch with it’s workforce that it doesn’t know? Cutting of the head will not solve all the problems. Seems like a knee jerk reaction.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
I know that places like police departments and fire departments often operate with a lot of inertia. I’m curious as exactly what justifies his firing. Was it that he came in with expectations and wanted to make changes that disturbed the status quo, did he have unrealistic expectations that he demanded to be met, was he simply an outsider to that department, etc. A vote of no confidence and specious HR complaints is meaningless if your department is filled with problems. I’m not saying that this is the case, I just know from firsthand experience some of the people that operate within the “first responder” realm here and wouldn’t piss on them to put them out.
Jay Tomm says
Agree, fire rescue is a County function. Why PC or FB has their own fire dept I don’t know. County already has to service EMS duties at each of these stations. Double dipping in time, energy, money & personal.
JOE says
flagger is corrupt just like the rest of the counties in fl.
Joe D says
Wow…”Fired” for NO CAUSE??? Maybe Florida/Flagler Beach Human Resources rules are different from most other Government employee systems, but as a former Nursing Division Chief in another State’s hospital and health system, the ONLY time you could fire someone without cause was during a short initial PROBATIONARY position of usually 60-90 days when first hired or promoted . Chief Cox apparently has been in his position for longer than that.
As a hospital NURSING administrator (unless the employee was convicted of a felony or was guilty of abandoning the job without notice or documented as intoxicated or under the influence of illegal substances while on duty) , I would FIRST have to do a VERBAL COUNSELING…to bring the issues to the employee’s attention. Then there would be a PLAN OF CORRECTION written out listing the areas for improvement and the plan established for how that plan would be evaluated (and WHEN: 2 months? 3 months? 6 months?). If at the next meeting there was NO IMPROVEMENT in the employee’s performance, you were required to do a WRITTEN COUNSELING, with additional goals written down, and a MUCH SHORTER re-evaluation period ( 30-60 days). At THAT POINT, if the behaviors of concern were not corrected, then the employee could be terminated.
Now I’m sure there are more INTERNAL processes going on, than have been observed in the MEDIA, but it APPEARS ( in my opinion), that (now) former Chief Cox had not been made aware of the staff discontent by supervisors until essentially AMBUSHED by the resignations and the letter of NO CONFIDENCE from subordinate staff.
Personally I do not know Chief Cox, nor his leadership style ( or lack of one), but after being in the department for 16 (?) years, he deserved a more PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE approach, rather than what APPEARS to have been a sort of departmental “Mutiny” (in my option at least).
Again, I have no personal knowledge of Chief Cox’s management behaviors, but before there are MULTIPLE resignations of experienced staff, I would have expected SOMEONE would have let City Administration know there was a PROBLEM BREWING (again, personnel decisions of many types are considered CONFIDENTIAL, so it’s likely there is more information to this story than the public can be made aware). However, MY CONCERN, is that the way this was presented in the MEDIA ( in my opinion), opens Flagler Beach ( and taxpayers) up to a potentially costly legal lawsuit for WRONGFUL TERMINATION.