Magnolia aldermen on Monday failed to override Mayor Jim Storer’s veto of Doug Lawrence as the city’s part-time fire chief.
The aldermen’s 3-2 vote fell one vote short to override Storer’s action. Aldermen George “Lucky” Chaplain and Melvin Harris voted to sustain the veto.
Harris, who was out of town because of an illness in his family, voted by telephone.
The board took no action Monday to hire a new chief, which means Fernwood Volunteer Fire Chief Chris Kyzar remains interim chief. Aldermen are expected to re-advertise for the position later.
Harris was one of three aldermen who voted to hire Lawrence during the board’s meeting on May 6.
Storer vetoed the board’s decision to hire Lawrence then, listing five reasons for his decision in a letter released later to aldermen.
According to Storer, Lawrence was asked to resign his position because he allegedly failed to perform certain duties, including:
• Keeping adequate records and reports on fire-related incidents in the city.
• Submitting timely fire reports required by the Mississippi Fire Marshal’s office.
• Documenting volunteer firefighter training required by the Fire Marshal.
• Checking and recording pressure readings on fire plugs.
• Multiple alleged incidents of failing to follow fire department policies concerning the distribution of equipment and acceptance into the department, “which led to feelings of favoritism and unfairness within the department.”
“Mr. Lawrence is a fine Christian man, and an excellent firefighter” Storer wrote. “But (he) was not a good fire chief.”
Chaplain cited Storer’s reasons — with the exception of the fifth reason — for upholding the veto.
But Aldermen Bud Flowers, Dennis Quinn and Claude Mullins said they voted to hire Lawrence because he was the recommendation of a committee of aldermen who interviewed two candidates for the position.
On May 6, Storer said Kyzar, who previously said he was not interested in the position, had changed his mind.
“I’ve heard that Chris Kyzar is very qualified for the job, but I haven’t interviewed him; I haven’t seen his application,” Mullins said.
Mullins also said that the committee that interviewed Lawrence told him they were willing to give him a second chance, “but if anything wasn’t correct, he was gone.”
Flowers said Kyzar had been asked if he wanted the job and declined, adding that a firefighter came to his house and asked him to vote for Lawrence. “If Kyzar wanted the job, he should have filed an application and gone through the process,” he said.
