BREAKING NEWS AFTER PRESS TIME: The Clallam County Fire District No. 4 board voted unanimously late Wednesday night to fire Chief Dave Chastain.
JOYCE — About 25 people listened Wednesday night to why Clallam County Fire District No. 4’s board of commissioners wants to dismiss Chief Dave Chastain from his job.
At Chastain’s request, the personnel matter was held in open session at the fire station at 51259 State Highway 112 in Joyce.
The session lasted more than two hours.
At 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, the five-member board ended the public testimony and took a 10-minute break before adjourning into closed executive session to discuss its decision after the PDN press time.
Earlier, the commissioners said that Chastain had two “points of disservice” that prompted them to request his resignation as fire chief.
Chastain was accused of not maintaining a good working relationship with the board and was accused of telling a volunteer during a training drill that he would harass two fire district commissioners until they resigned from the governing board.
No volunteer stepped forward during Wednesday’s meeting to back up the accusation and board members declined to divulge the volunteer’s identity because the person approached them confidentially.
Chastain, in his own defense, said that he never made that statement and other fire district volunteers testified that they did not hear the comment and there was no transcription of it being said.
More than 10 volunteers with Fire District No. 4 spoke on Chastain’s behalf, saying they feel he is being railroaded.
Chastain challenged the matter being heard in executive session so that the discussion about him could proceed in public.