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Fire chief chooses retirement

A commissioner called for the chief's firing amid recent controversy over increased fees.

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published July 23, 2006

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH - In most circumstances, retiring at the age of 75 is not an unusual step.

But for fire Chief John R. Leahy Jr. it marks the latest controversy surrounding the Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District.

Leahy was placed on administrative leave last month after Commissioner James Mortellite called for his firing.

The fire commission was scheduled to reconsider that action Tuesday, but instead accepted Leahy's request to retire.

The retirement is officially effective Sept. 15, but in the meantime he will have no further role in managing the department.

The commission formally appointed Assistant Chief of Operations Russell Livernois as acting fire chief until Leahy's replacement is selected. How that will be done will be discussed at the fire commission's August workshop.

Leahy gave no official reason for retiring but is bitter at the way his long career in firefighting is ending. He declined to comment about his decision to retire.

Last month, Leahy was sharply criticized by the union representing the district's firefighters - an action that Mortellite says influenced his call for the board to fire Leahy.

Tuesday, several commissioners turned their criticism against Mortellite.

Commission Chairman Tom Hafner described Mortellite's call for Leahy to be fired as "an insult" based on "rumors floating around the fire station."

"This was very disturbing to me and others of people involved," said Hafner. "If not for the chief ... we'd be in a state of bankruptcy."

Hafner called Leahy "a chief's chief" and said one of his major accomplishments was keeping the department solvent in the face of organized opposition to fee increases and a series of lawsuits backed by the city of Indian Rocks Beach.

Leahy was appointed the district fire chief in 2001. He had served as a part-time deputy chief in charge of training since 1997.

Before joining the fire district, Leahy was chairman of the board for the Alliance of Fire and Emergency Management Research Foundation and traveled throughout the United States and Canada consulting for fire districts.

He served as Seminole's fire chief from 1989 to 1995, and previously was fire chief for Pittsburgh, Pa., as well as a deputy chief for the Largo Fire Department.

Leahy helped develop Pinellas County's Hazardous Materials Team and published articles in numerous firefighting publications. He also was an instructor at the St. Petersburg Vocational Technical Institute.

"We are losing one hell of a chief," said Commissioner Bob McEwen, who called Leahy a "damned fine leader."

During his tenure, Leahy increased firefighter salaries to make the district more competitive with area fire departments and oversaw the purchase of new firefighting equipment.

But increasing costs and a severe recession hit the district hard, prompting the district auditor to warn that without additional revenues, it could face bankruptcy within a few years.

Voters responded by approving a 58 percent fee increase in 2003, but sharply rejected another proposed increase just a year later.

Indian Rocks Beach funded several lawsuits brought by residents who challenged the 2003 rate increase. Those lawsuits were later dismissed in court, but cost the district more than $100,000 to defend.

[Last modified July 22, 2006, 20:38:17]