By Brett Lovelace
Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
Copyright 2006 Lancaster Newspapers, Inc.
LANCASTER, Pa. — Columbia’s fire chief resigned Saturday, a day after police accused him of harassing a 30-year-old woman.
Joseph J. Groft Jr., 39, faces $319 in fines and court costs after Columbia Borough police charged him with summary harassment.
Groft, who is married, is accused of sending the woman, a single mother of two children, flowers and letters eight different times from May 9 through June 15, according to a citation police filed with a district judge.
The woman became worried because the flowers and letters were sent anonymously, according to the citation. She contacted police earlier this month.
Police filed the summary charge Friday. Groft submitted a letter of resignation to borough officials Saturday night.
Groft, who oversaw all of the borough’s fire companies, has until July 6 to either pay the fine or request a hearing before Columbia District Judge Robert A. Herman Jr.
Columbia Borough Council is expected to vote tonight at its monthly meeting on whether to accept the resignation.
An e-mail sent to borough council members and obtained by the Intelligencer Journal confirmed Groft’s resignation.
“Joe Groft has terminated his position as Borough Fire Chief. He submitted a signed resignation letter at 9:10 p.m. on June 24, 2006.
“I need to remind you all that in the best interest of his family and the families involved with his conflict, that NO mention of reasons or issues surrounding his voluntary resignation be mentioned in public, private or any type of media. Mr. Groft has serious concerns as to the effect the releases of any information may have on his family.”
After the woman learned Groft was allegedly sending the flowers and leaving letters on her vehicle and at her home, she sent him a warning letter.
“Please be advised that you have no right either express or implied to be on my property,” the letter states. “Also be advised that you have no right to contact me in person, by telephone, letters, flower deliveries, or any other means wherever I may be found.”
The woman received a dozen roses allegedly sent by Groft on June 9. A card attached to the roses states, “Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman.”
Groft paid $88.18 for the flowers and their delivery. He told the flower shop the flowers were for a wedding.
The woman contacted the flower shop after receiving the anonymous delivery and asked for the sender’s name. The flower shop revealed his identity because police had launched an investigation.
Groft, of the 600 block of South 12th Street, Columbia, has been a volunteer firefighter since 1984. He started a two-year term as fire chief in Jan. 2005.
Groft could not immediately be reached for comment Monday night.