Ex-fire Longview chief sues Local

By Robyn Claridy / Longview News Journal

Longview firefighters haven’t heard the last of former Fire Chief Michael Pruitt.

Pruitt, who was fired more than a year ago, has filed a new lawsuit claiming that firefighter, labor and other organizations failed to support him in his battle with the city. He is seeking unspecified financial damages.

After his termination, the former chief argued in a claim filed against the city with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that his firing was racially motivated and amounted to retaliation against him by city employees. He dropped his EEOC claim and agreed not to sue after the city paid him $130,000 and provided a letter acknowledging his accomplishments as fire chief.

The new civil lawsuit, filed Dec. 2 in Gregg County 124th District Court, is against the International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO, the Collegiate Licensing Co., and Longview Professional Firefighters Association Local No. 4331 and its officers, Wayne Oldham, Steve Oram, Steve Green, Adam Dreary, Tony Marshall and Craig Barton.

The lawsuit claims that after Pruitt’s termination, the international and local firefighters associations did not assist him in his battle with the city of Longview.

“In fact, they egregiously worked underhandedly, secretly, and sometimes not so secretly, to facilitate and bring about his termination from the position,” the petition said.

It also noted after Pruitt was fired, Kenny Southwell and Oldham, who were officers with the IAFF, were appointed interim fire chiefs “fully and finally realizing the objective of their sinister campaign.”

Pruitt is seeking recovery and damages for lost wages and lost earning capacity, medical expenses, mental anguish, loss of society and companionship, exemplary damages, prejudgment interest, post judgement interest and costs of court and attorney fees in the wake of his Nov. 12, 2009, termination.

At that time, Mayor Jay Dean said the firing was because of Pruitt’s lack of interpersonal skills leading to a fragmented department. That came after several firefighters complained Pruitt micromanaged the force. City Manager David Willard said Pruitt’s leadership adversely affected employee morale and the department’s service to the city of Longview.

Before Pruitt was fired, the Longview Firefighters Association conducted a survey in which more than 40 percent of 108 respondents said department administrators were not open to firefighters’ opinions, did not provide adequate training for advancement and did not appreciate the job employees perform.

Pruitt said the association conducted the survey specifically to discount his credibility. He is a member of the association but did not participate in the survey.

In his petition, Pruitt said the questionnaire was ill-conceived, aimed to elicit negative comments about him and intended to bring about his ouster.

At the time, Oldham said the survey was conducted after several residents received letters from an anonymous source criticizing the chief for management of fire equipment. Oldham said he and other association leaders met to discuss the survey’s results, but Pruitt didn’t attend the meeting.

The lawsuit claims that almost immediately after he became chief, Pruitt “was singled out, ostracized, and undermined by the officers and members of Local #4331 … It is Chief Pruitt’s belief that he was so treated because he is of African American descent, a first for the position.”

The lawsuit also alleges each member of the local association was guilty of aiding, abetting, inciting or coercing other people to engage in behaviors of discriminatory practices against Pruitt, which caused “significant” economic loss and severe emotional distress.

Contacted Monday, Oldham said Longview Firefighter Association officials would not comment. He said their attorney would release a written statement in the future regarding the lawsuit.

Phone calls to Pruitt and his attorney, Gerald Smith of Dallas, were not returned Monday.