Four Monarch Officers Fired, Two Get Escorted Out of HQ

In a vote on Saturday,  board members Kim Evans and Steve Swyers released Monarch Assistant Chief Les Crews, Deputy Chief Cary Spiegel and battalion chiefs Fred Goodson and Mike Davis.

The third member of the board, Robin Harris, attended by phone and, according to procedures, could not vote.

Harris said that after the vote, two senior fire officers were escorted from the headquarters by two police officers. The officers were there because of the board meeting. He said he found out about the evictions after the fact.

"I do not think any action like that would have been necessary, and so since I don’t know where the directive came from, I have actually inquired of my fellow board members, and have not yet had a reply," Harris said. "I find that action to be unconscionable."

Chesterfield Patch emailed both Evans and Swyers, but has not yet received replies.

Monarch Fire Marshal Roger Herin said: “I would acknowledge that those people are no longer employed here, and that it was a personnel issue that I can’t comment on until I get the official word from the board.”

The Monarch Fire Protection District serves Chesterfield and portions of Ballwin, Clarkson Valley, Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights, Wildwood and unincorporated St. Louis County.

The firings  that represents Monarch firefighters.

According to a press release from Monarch Concerned Taxpayers, a watchdog organization, the released firefighters had a total of 133 years of experience.

“You have just an unbelievable situation when all that experience, they’re just dumped on the street," said Richard Barber, a member of the organization. "They’re bringing people in that are beholden to the union, regardless of the situation.”

In addition to the loss of the four officers, Monarch Chief Cliff Biele is set to retire .

Richard Gans, who  in the April election, said when the new chief starts in January, a changing of the guard was expected to gradually occur. Gans was surprised by the firings. The new chief is thought to be . 

Gans said that as the fire district becomes more unionized, and salary demands go up, the money will come from essential services. He said that ambulances have been taken out of service in the past when there wasn't the manpower to staff them, and that stations have been open only part-time.

He said the union's chief concern is raising firefighters' salaries. The firefighters' union supported Swyers in the last election.

Chesterfield council member Derek Grier, when reached by phone, said he couldn’t comment on or confirm the firings, but showed concern over the move.

“Let me be clear, our police and firefighters should be compensated fairly and be commensurate with their training and experience," Grier said. "However, if there is a shift occurring, which tips the balance in favor of the union, giving members an unfair advantage in wage and compensation negotiations, we need to pay very close attention. If the salaries and benefits of these workers are unreasonable and unjustifiable, particularly in our current economy, the situation merits a high level of scrutiny.”