Hassett supported by Firemen and EMS volunteers

CANTON — More than 60 firemen and emergency medical volunteers, many of them in uniform, came Monday to the St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators to show their support for ousted county Emergency Services Director Martin J. Hassett, but a majority of the board turned a deaf ear.

“We’re all backing him,” said Vincent C. Ferry, a past president of the Fire Advisory Board. “Rethink what you’re doing.”

Mr. Hassett, who was not present, resigned Jan. 24, a day after County Administrator Karen M. St. Hilaire met with legislators in executive session, where a straw poll was taken on whether to fire Mr. Hassett. Mr. Hassett’s resignation is effective Feb. 24.

“I’m not here to point fingers. I am simply here to voice a concern,” said W. Joseph Lacks, a fire investigator and deputy coordinator for public fire safety. “I had concerns over the way his dismissal was performed. I think he should have been privy to the information discussed by the Legislature and allowed to defend himself at that time. This should be a basic right to any employee, especially in this situation.”

Legislator Frederick S. Morrill, D-DeKalb Junction, asked for a suspension of the rules so the board could consider an independent investigation of what led to Mr. Hassett’s dismissal, but his request was rejected by a vote of 8-5. Two legislators were absent.

After that, the emergency responders streamed out, sounding the sirens for a few minutes on the eight or nine fire trucks some had come in.

Legislator Alex A. MacKinnon, R-Fowler, asked County Attorney Michael C. Crowe to research what kind of action was allowed in executive session.

“If a department head is hired publicly by a majority vote, then how can such action be undone without similar action?” he said during a break in the meeting. “It’s still a board action. It can’t be on one and not the other.”

Mr. MacKinnon said he thought the board’s decision not to review what happened was insulting to the volunteers, even if the result would have been the same.

“I think the whole thing was mishandled,” Legislator Donald A. Peck, R-Gouverneur, said afterward. “What he was hired to do, he was doing. Apparently the board did not want to hear the facts. I still feel Marty should have had his day in court. I just don’t think it’s the way to treat an employee. I question whether the resignation is even legal because he did it under duress.”

Mr. Hassett’s position has already been advertised even though some legislators said they thought the department should be reorganized first. Mr. Hassett is the department’s third director pushed out in 10 years.

“What we’re doing is the same old, same old, and the responsibilities are the same,” Mr. MacKinnon said. “They’ve got to look at the structure first.”