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09/08/2020 12:00 AMThe Westbrook Board of Fire Commissioners (BFC) voted on Aug. 31 to accept the resignation of now former fire chief Mike Jenkins, whose social media posts have been the subject of outrage and controversy in town.
As reported last week, one post in particular targeted Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris with what many residents considered crude and offensive terms.
Jenkins submitted his resignation by email to BFC Chair Robert Hagermeister on Aug. 25. Hagermeister forwarded the resignation to the town clerk, he said.
The BFC also voted to remove Jenkins from the Westbrook Fire Department (WFD) entirely for one year, according to Hagermeister. (Meeting minutes were not yet available on the town’s website at press time.)
Jenkins may petition the WFD “to be a member again,” Hagermeister continued, in order to “not lose his years of service and points toward his pension. But it’s up to the [fire department] to accept him back as a member.”
The WFD, at its regular September meeting, will appoint a new chief, Hagermeister, explained.
The WFD itself, however, is preparing a statement and declined to speak to Harbor News about the matter.
“This is a first-time happening for us and we want to make sure that we do everything as correct as possible,” said Lester Scott, who has served in fire services for the town since 1966.
In order to head off future problems, the BFC will “be writing a new set of rules and regulations in the future,” Hagermeister said. “I hope they will be on the agenda for the next meeting on Sept. 3...[W]e will be utilizing the town attorney to craft better rules and regulations so these issues won’t come up again.”
2018 Email
Hagermeister set to rest questions about an April 2018 email purported to be sent to him, First Selectman Noel Bishop, and two other members of the BFC. The email expressed concerns about Jenkins’ social media posts at the time.
The BFC did address the issues with Jenkins at its April 19, 2018 meeting, Hagermeister explained, although he could not discuss the proceedings of an executive session.
While many of the BFC’s meeting agendas and minutes are missing from its web page, Harbor News did find the meeting agenda for the April 19, 2018 meeting on the BFC web page via a drop-down menu labeled “media.” The agenda lists an executive session with the description “Other personnel matter discussion.”
Minutes from the April 19, 2018 meeting were not immediately available. The minutes would not include the discussion conducted in executive session, however.
In response to a question about agendas and minutes from all BFC meetings in 2019 being missing from the website, Hagermeister said this was due to technical issues. But all documents, he said, have been submitted to the town clerk as required by state law.
“The town had problems with their servers,” he said. “They’re all available at the Town Hall and all you have to do is ask for them.
“We do what’s legally required,” he added.