VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Daytona Beach city leaders are facing new questions after a longtime fire battalion chief was terminated following what officials described as disciplinary violations, including missing a mandatory meeting.
9 Investigates previously reported that former battalion chief Andre Chaney was terminated after 26 years with the department.
Termination paperwork stated Chaney was dismissed for not being truthful about missing a required meeting. Chaney has told 9 Investigates he had also been working with City Auditor Abinet Belachew since February and provided documents tied to an ongoing financial investigation.
Belachew confirmed Chaney is considered a whistleblower in that investigation.
9 Investigates reached out Monday to every city commissioner, the mayor and the city manager seeking comment on the termination.
Commissioner Ken Strickland said he had no comment.
Commissioner Stacy Cantu said she found the termination troubling and questioned whether the cited violations justified ending a 26-year career.
“After reviewing the circumstances and policies surrounding the termination of a veteran Fire Department employee, I find it a little troubling that he was terminated for minor offenses,” Cantu said in a statement.
She added that missing a mandatory meeting or wearing a sweatshirt in cold weather does not appear to justify ending a 26-year career.
Cantu also referenced protections under Florida’s whistleblower law, saying if investigators determine the employee was terminated because of protected disclosures, reinstatement and back pay should be considered.
Cantu said allowing an illegal termination to stand could discourage future employees from reporting wrongdoing and weaken government accountability.
9 Investigates previously reviewed hundreds of emails connected to the city auditor’s investigation and found that Fire Chief Dru Driscoll and City Attorney Ben Gross requested the identities of whistleblowers involved in the case.
In one email, Gross warned Belachew that refusing to release investigative work could lead to criminal consequences.
Last week, State Sen. Tom Wright said the city should expect further legal scrutiny and possible subpoenas.
Driscoll and Deputy Chief Jessica Matthews have both been served state subpoenas and are scheduled for hearings this week.
Read the full statement from Commissioner Stacy Cantu below:
After reviewing the circumstances and policies surrounding the termination of a veteran Fire Department employee, I find it a little troubling that he was terminated for minor offenses. Missing a mandatory meeting or wearing a sweatshirt when it’s cold outside hardly seems to be reason to terminate a 26 year veteran of the Fire Department. If the employee is a whistleblower that alerted city auditor Belachew as to possible corruption and abuses in our local Fire Department.
Florida law protects those in government that choose to step up and expose corruption under the Florida Whistle-blower’s Act (Sections 112.3187 (tel:112.3187) - 112.31895, Florida Statutes).
If further investigation finds that employee has been fired for being a whistleblower, he should be immediately reinstated and given back pay. If we allow an illegal termination to stand, no one will ever want to risk their jobs and careers to help hold our government officials accountable. In a scenario where the government is permitted to go unchecked, it becomes a fertile environment for perpetual corruption and out of control spending.
Let us take a long hard look at this situation and make sure that we are acting in the best interest of the community.
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