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Sigurd residents demand hearing after two volunteer firefighters removed; council tables dispute
Summary
Family members and fellow firefighters called on the Sigurd Town Council to reinstate two volunteers and hold a public hearing after removals from the Sigurd Fire Department; the council moved to table the item for further review and said it will place the matter on a future agenda.
Mayor Kelly Alvey presided over an emotional public-comment period at the Sigurd Town Council meeting on Nov. 20, where family members and local firefighters urged the council to reverse recent removals from the volunteer fire department and to hold a formal hearing.
Cheryl, who identified herself as the wife of former fire chief Joe Kirkwood, told the council her husband had served Sigurd for years and outlined what she described as a pattern of unfair treatment after he and another volunteer, Jason Jacobson, were removed from the department. "We respectfully request that the council holds all comments and questions until all of our speakers have finished," she said, and later asked the council to "put Joe and Jason back on the department immediately with no town retaliation and respectfully request a public apology." Her statement included an explicit warning that her family might pursue legal action if requests were not met.
Other speakers backed the request. Brian Terry, who identified himself as a Richfield Fire Department member and county fire warden, urged the council to follow established grievance procedures and cautioned that volunteer morale and emergency response could suffer if the matter is not handled transparently. "There will be ripple effects throughout the community," Terry said, noting potential impacts on neighboring volunteer departments and recruitment.
Council member Michelle Visaraga told commenters that legal advice previously obtained had warned the town against litigation because of cost and duration, and she urged the council to review records before taking further steps. After discussion, Visaraga moved to table the personnel grievance item for further review so the council could assemble relevant documentation and consider a formal hearing. A second motion to table was made and the item was recorded as tabled; council members said they intended to put the matter on a future public agenda so both sides — the complainant and the volunteers in question — can be heard.
What the council did and did not decide: The council did not reinstate any members or overturn personnel decisions at the Nov. 20 meeting. The explicit next step recorded by the council was to table the agenda item and schedule further review; council members and several commenters requested that any future hearing be publicly noticed so residents can attend.
Background and context: Public commenters said a grievance process exists in the department handbook and asked the council to confirm that the town followed the procedures before agreeing to removals. Speakers raised allegations including procedural irregularities, lack of notification, nepotism, and discrimination. Council members repeatedly cited attorney guidance as a factor in prior decisions and said they needed time to review the record.
What's next: Council members said they will place the grievance matter on a future agenda and schedule a public hearing so both sides can present evidence and the council can make a formal determination. No date was set during the Nov. 20 meeting.
Sources: Public comments and motions recorded during the Nov. 20, 2024 Sigurd Town Council meeting; statements quoted are from speakers who identified themselves in the meeting record.
