The McComb Civil Service Commission has denied former Fire Chief Vernell Felder’s reinstatement request and application for a vacant captain’s position in the department.
Commissioners Larry Dorr and Iszeal Bennett on Wednesday voted 2-0 to deny Felder’s request, saying he didn’t meet the civil service regulations. Commissioner Don Lazarus did not attend the meeting.
Felder said after the meeting that he is not sure what his plans are now.
Felder, 51, who retired as fire chief in June 2007 citing health reasons, asked the commission to waive civil service requirements involving reinstatement and nepotism.
The city’s regulations allow police officers or firefighters who voluntarily leave the department to be automatically reinstated if they return within 24 months. Felder retired from the fire department more than three years ago.
The city’s nepotism rule prohibits hiring someone for a position who has a relative already working in the same department. Felder’s son-in-law is a firefighter.
Felder said he is a certified firefighter and meets all the qualifications for the captain’s position.
He challenged the city’s 24-month regulation. “That rule is antiquated,” he said. “The state regulations say I can keep my certification up to five years.”
Dorr disagreed. “I don’t think it’s antiquated, and I’m going to stay with the 24 months,” he said.
According to the Mississippi Minimum Standards and Certification Board regulations, a firefighter who does not serve with a fire department for two to five years is eligible for recertification if he passes a board-approved examination, including a physical abilities test.
Felder said prior civil service commissions have waived the nepotism rule, including when his son-in-law was hired.
“All we did was adjust the shifts so that individual wouldn’t be under their relative,” he said.
Bennett said that while he has been on the commission, no waivers of the nepotism rule have been approved.
Dorr said the commission recently denied hiring a firefighter candidate because his father was a captain in the fire department.
“How can I in good conscience approve a waiver for you when I denied a waiver for him?” Dorr asked Felder.
Felder was fired by the city board on June 7, 2007, for conduct unbecoming a city employee for alleged unspecified misconduct involving an incident that resulted in Felder having a heart attack.
He was reinstated on June 21, 2007, then retired. He promised not to appeal his firing to the civil service commission, and not sue the city for any reason over the firing in exchange for his reinstatement.
