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Fire marshal accused of harassment

Two unidentified county employees have filed allegations against the Hillsborough official.

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER
Published March 17, 2005

TAMPA - Just seven months ago, former Clearwater fire marshal Randy Hinder was tapped to replace Hillsborough County fire marshal Donald Goff, who abruptly resigned amid a federal inquiry into computer crimes committed on his home computer.

Now Hinder is the subject of an internal investigation over allegations by two county employees who told Hillsborough County fire Chief William Nesmith late last week that Hinder sexually harassed them.

Nesmith said Hinder was transferred to county fire rescue headquarters Monday and will stay there until the investigation is complete. Assistant fire chief Bill Singleton will be interim fire marshal.

"Everything is up in the air," Nesmith said. "At this time, everybody is innocent until proven guilty. But these things are never easy for the department."

On Wednesday, Nesmith released few details of the allegations. He did not identify the employees who lodged them, but said there were separate allegations involving two employees. He did not say when the alleged incidents occurred.

As soon as the second employee went to Nesmith Friday morning, he notified the human resources department, and the internal investigation began.

The inquiry comes less than a year after Hinder, a firefighter since 1986, left his post as executive manager for Hillsborough County code enforcement to take the $80,579-a-year fire marshal job.

Hinder was among nearly two dozen applicants seeking to replace Goff, a 16-year fire department veteran.

"He is a very technically skilled person," Nesmith said of Hinder, 41. "He knows the codes and fire prevention inside out. We were very impressed when we interviewed him."

But when Hinder resigned as Clearwater fire marshal in 2003, the Times reviewed department records that showed his management style did not always sit well with the administration.

He resigned in a one-paragraph letter, and the city manager said it would be in Hinder's interests "to go ahead and move on."

Goff, meanwhile, recently began a 37-month prison sentence for one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of pornography, according to FBI officials and court records.

Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at 813 226-3373 or svansickler@sptimes.com

[Last modified March 17, 2005, 01:05:07]