MORGANTOWN – The Morgantown Fire Civil Service Commission posted notice of an emergency meeting to determine whether it has jurisdiction to hold a public hearing requested by Morgantown’s firefighters regarding a pay reduction they say was an act of reprisal.
Notice of the emergency meeting, which is to be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday, was posted along with the meeting’s agenda to the City of Morgantown’s website Tuesday.
The meeting agenda states that the commission will hear argument from the firefighters’ attorney Teresa Toriseva, then go into executive session to consult with Wendy Adkins, counsel for the civil service commission.
The agenda also states that the commission may continue hearing on the matter at a second date to observe witness testimony if necessary but will not hear from witnesses Wednesday, to allow the jurisdictional issue to be decided first.
Toriseva responded to the notice of the emergency meeting Tuesday afternoon.
She said while the Morgantown firefighters and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) believe they are entitled to a full civil service hearing with evidence on the issue of the cancellation of their shift differential pay instead of only an emergency meeting, the firefighters are pleased the issue is moving forward.
She said the Morgantown firefighters stand ready to battle this issue in whatever venue necessary, including the Monongalia County civil service commission, the Circuit Court of Monongalia County and the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
“Based on what has occurred, we expect resistance and retaliation from the city of Morgantown and their expensive lawyers every step of the way,” Toriseva said.
As The Dominion Post previously reported, the 51 members of the IAFF Local 313 have accused City Manager Kim Haws of removing their shift differential pay in reprisal for refusing a lawsuit settlement of $1.7 million to compensate for back wages owed because of mishandled holiday pay.
The firefighters’ demand for a mandatory public hearing on the issue was filed on April 5 with Morgantown’s city clerk Christine Wade, who is also the clerk of the civil service commission.
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