By Stephanie Warsmith
The Akron Beacon Journal
ARKON, Ohio — An Akron firefighter met with Mayor Don Plusquellic on Tuesday afternoon and apologized for his role in a recent incident in which police stopped and questioned the mayor.
“I want to express that I regret that my actions of Oct. 17, 2009, which triggered a series of events that led to your being questioned by the Akron police and subsequent media frenzy,” Lt. Dennis Shumaker said in a written apology.
Plusquellic said he accepts Shumaker’s apology and will seek no disciplinary action against him.
“I assured him that his apology would end this matter as far as I was concerned, and that I would take no action” against him or anyone else, the mayor said.
Plusquellic said he also doesn’t plan to pursue an outside investigation into Shumaker’s actions or allegations that Akron firefighters had — on several occasions — offered to pay police officers $1,000 to target Plusquellic and other city leaders.
“All of us make mistakes,” Plusquellic said. “This apology puts this matter behind us.”
Shumaker and his girlfriend called 911 about 1 a.m. Oct. 17, claiming Plusquellic was driving erratically after leaving a birthday party at a Tallmadge restaurant. Akron police officers stopped and questioned Plusquellic but did not cite him.
Plusquellic had said Shumaker and his girlfriend were out to get him as part of a concerted effort by “rogue” Akron firefighters and their supporters upset about the recent layoffs of 38 firefighters to help bridge a budget shortfall.
“It is unfortunate for everyone involved that emotions over public policy decisions I have to make have produced strong reactions, rather than discussions on solutions,” Plusquellic said. “Tough decisions — including residency for public employees and requirements to balance the budget in this difficult economic downturn — must be made by mayors around the country every day.”
Plusquellic said Shumaker told him he didn’t want to comment beyond his apology letter. Ron Gatts, Shumaker’s Akron attorney, couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
In Shumaker’s five-paragraph, typed letter, he said he “never participated in any plan, scheme, conspiracy or made any suggestions regarding the payment of cash to Akron police officers to conduct a traffic stop of your vehicle.”
Shumaker also said it was never his intention, as some have suggested, to run Plusquellic’s car off the road as he and his girlfriend tailed the mayor after he left the restaurant.
“I have been an Akron firefighter for 15 years and I’m proud of my department and my city and it would never be my intention to dishonor either,” he wrote.
Shumaker, who received backlash from some firefighters and police after the incident involving the mayor, planned to meet with Plusquellic to apologize last Friday afternoon. Scheduling conflicts delayed the meeting until Tuesday.
Plusquellic said Shumaker has had no previous disciplinary problems, and there is nothing to indicate this was part of a pattern of behavior.
“This proves I wasn’t misleading anyone,” the mayor said.
Plusquellic described his meeting with Shumaker as cordial and said he jokingly told the firefighter that he owed him a beer.
Plusquellic said he thinks Phil Gauer, president of the Akron fire union who defended Shumaker and his girlfriend by saying they were doing their civic duty by calling police, also owes him an apology.
Gauer didn’t return a phone message Tuesday afternoon.
After the incident, Gauer questioned whether Plusquellic should have been driving his city-owned vehicle if he knew he was going to a party where he planned to drink and drive. He said the city’s vehicle policy prohibits using a city-issued car, except for driving to and from work.
Plusquellic has said he had several drinks at the party but switched to ice water and ate dinner before leaving to return to Akron. He said he drives his city-owned car — his only vehicle — all the time because he is always on call, and it is equipped with a police and fire radio. He also said he makes sure he isn’t impaired to drive.
Akron doesn’t have a policy that prohibits city employees from driving a city-issued vehicle within a certain time period of drinking. Mark Williamson, a city spokesman, said the city asks employees “to use common sense.”
Copyright 2009 Akron Beacon Journal