The Jersey Journal (New Jersey)
SECAUCUS, N.J. — Three town volunteer firefighters at the center of a harassment lawsuit filed by, and a $4.8 million judgment won by, a gay couple have resigned, town officials said.
Mayor Dennis Elwell said yesterday that on Friday at 3 p.m. Charles Snyder Sr., his son, Charles Snyder Jr., and Charles Mutschler handed in their resignations from the town fire department.
The mayor said he felt that demanding the resignations was required.
“It’s been a dark day, but it was necessary to show that the governing body and town will not tolerate this or any type of incident similar to this,” Elwell said.
“More importantly, this is now a time for the fire department to move ahead. We have many, many good firefighters and I hope this will start to get this behind us.”
In June, a jury awarded Peter deVries and Timothy Carter, who lived on Schopmann Drive but have since moved to Jersey City, $2.84 million in damages and ordered the town to pay $2 million in legal fees and other costs.
Charles Snyder Sr. is not being asked to give up his job as assistant director of the Secaucus Department of Public Works, because the incidents detailed in the lawsuit have no connection to his job at the DPW.
Charles Snyder Jr. has been a North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue firefighter for four years and has had no problems while at that department, NHRF&R Co-director Jeff Welz said yesterday. Snyder Jr. has been given additional training on NHRF&R’s harassment policy, Welz said.
Copyright 2008, Jersey Journal (New Jersey)