Greg Robinson out as Central Frontenac Fire Chief

Craig Bakay | Sep 25, 2019

Greg Robinson, who was introduced to Council as Central Frontenac’s new Director of Emergency Services/Fire Chief in May of 2017, no longer holds the position.

After holding an in camera session at the end of Tuesday’s regular Council meeting in Piccadilly, Mayor Frances Smith rose and reported: “Greg Robinson is no longer employed by the Township. Jamie Riddell (who was Deputy Chief under Robinson) will be acting Director of Emergency Services/Fire Chief.

“(Consultant) Terry Gervais will be working closely with Riddell in the next few weeks and will bring a report with recommendations to the Oct. 22 Council meeting.”

Smith refused to answer any more questions on the subject but did say the split was “effective today.”

There had been much speculation as to the Chief’s future following a bizarre incident late in July of this year when a Township-owned truck which the Chief was allowed to use as part of his employment contract was reported stolen by him from a resort in Prince Edward County and then subsequently found at the Township office. The vehicle was damaged after it was returned to Sharbot Lake, by an axe wielding man, leading to a police search in Sharbot Lake that included a heavily armed tactical unit, on an otherwise sleepy, sunny Sunday afternoon. A Perth area man was eventually arrested in Franktown and charged with mischief in the case.

As of yet, police have not laid charges for the theft of the vehicle.

However, that incident may have only been the straw that broke the camel’s back. At its Aug. 13 meeting Council took the unprecedented step of rejecting the Chief’s monthly report, citing a lack of information in it that Robinson blamed on software not functioning properly. At that meeting, Councillor Nicki Gowdy asked several pointed questions about moral and training sessions

At the Sept. 12 Council meeting, Janice Morrow, who had started an online petition asking the Township to look into the Chief’s activities and management practises, asked several pointed questions.

Now Acting Chief Jamie Riddell addressed those questions at Tuesday’s meeting.

“There has only been one formal resignation in the past 30 months,” Riddell said. “There have been 11 new recruits in that period, of which two resigned but one has expressed interest in returning.”

As to whether any fire department personnel had been terminated or asked to leave by Chief Robinson, and if so for what reasons Riddell said he couldn’t comment on any such departures or provide reasons for said departures “for legal reasons.”

As to the chief’s truck, Riddell said it has been repaired and he is using it but “for official business only. When it’s not being used, it’s parked at one of the stations.”

As to the department’s finances, Riddell said that the department has both a capital and operating budget which is determined by Council at budget time, after receiving recommendations and requests in the chief’s report.

“The chief has discretion to authorize payments up to $15,000,” he said. “Payments from $15,000 to $50,000 have to be signed by the chief and the Township CAO.

“Payments over $50,000 have to come to Council.”