By Ashley Adams
The Evening Sun (Pennsylvania)
Copyright 2006 MediaNews Group, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Robert Sanders is no longer fire chief of Hanover Fire Co. No. 1.
During the monthly membership meeting Friday night, Sanders was officially voted out as chief. He was replaced immediately by member Jeremy Weaver, but will remain a member of the fire company.
Sanders was not at the meeting Friday night and could not be reached for comment this week.
Company President Russ Calhoun said the action at Friday’s meeting re-enforces a motion passed at an earlier meeting where Sanders was voted out as chief.
During a special meeting May 26, a motion to remove Sanders as fire chief and suspend him for 15 days for conduct unbecoming of an officer was passed unanimously.
The charge of conduct unbecoming a member stemmed from a confrontation between Sanders and Hanover Fire Commissioner James Roth. Other fire-company members said they witnessed the confrontation after a Borough Council meeting in April outside the borough office.
Sanders requested a trial board review the suspension and the board ruled in his favor.
During the June membership meeting, a motion was passed accepting the trial findings and reinstating Sanders. At that time, Calhoun was not sure if the motion included reinstating Sanders as chief or not.
Although Sanders was not suspended, the part of the motion removing him as fire chief was upheld.
Calhoun said Sanders is aware of the change. He would not elaborate on why Sanders was removed as chief.
In recent months, Hanover borough officials have raised administrative concerns about the fire company, including altered trip sheets and alleged misappropriation of funds.
The borough has since voted to end the basic life support service contract with Fire Co. No. 1 and issued the company a 180-day cease-operations notice which is up Nov. 20.
The Fire Co. No. 1 is working to improve the company so the borough will rescind the notice.
Calhoun said other steps are being taken to fix administrative problems within the company.
A full-blown audit of the company’s financial situation is almost 90 percent complete, Calhoun said. A copy of the audit findings should be presented at September’s membership meeting and available for public inspection.
The company is also working on changes to its bylaws and will eliminate the position of treasurer. Calhoun said an accounting firm will be hired to take care of bill payments and other monetary issues.
“We are making, I think, excellent progress,” Calhoun said.