Excerpts from RBLandmark.com:
Spencer Kimura, the former chief of the Riverside Fire Department, was quietly let go last week just before the village board meeting on July 16. Although the village has not officially announced his termination, officials confirmed it on Monday after a reporter noticed that Kimura’s name had been removed from the official website.
Village Manager Jessica Frances, who made the decision to terminate Kimura late on July 16, offered little explanation about the move. Similarly, Village President Ben Sells declined to comment, stating, “It’s an internal personnel matter, and I’m not going to say anything more.â€
According to Frances, Kimura will not receive a severance package, and there was no formal agreement in place. He was hired in 2011 to stabilize the department following a period of instability after his predecessor, Kevin Mulligan, was fired. Kimura did not have a contract, and his annual salary was $80,371.
Matthew Buckley, who previously served as Kimura’s deputy fire chief, has been appointed as the interim fire chief. In addition to his full-time role as deputy police chief in neighboring Lyons, Buckley will now take on part-time responsibilities as fire chief.
Frances explained that this move is intended to allow her to evaluate the structure of the fire department and determine if any changes are necessary. The department has traditionally operated with a part-time chief and paid-on-call firefighters. Kimura worked 32 hours per week, according to Frances.
As of now, the village has not initiated a search for a permanent fire chief. Kimura, a 57-year-old resident of the north suburbs, never fully integrated into the community. A retired battalion chief from the Glenview Fire Department, he was brought in to help heal divisions within the department after Mulligan's departure.
Mulligan later filed a lawsuit against the village and Buckley, ultimately settling for $350,000. However, tensions continued. In 2014, four Riverside firefighters, including three lieutenants, sued the village and Kimura, claiming they were unfairly disciplined due to their loyalty to Mulligan. That case was dismissed by a U.S. District Court earlier this year.
Buckley, who raised concerns about Mulligan’s conduct that led to the termination, stated that he is working closely with all members of the command staff. “I'm utilizing the officer corps in a collaborative effort to ensure that projects and services are maintained at the highest levels,†he said. “Every one of the supervisors is on board with working together to make sure everything gets done properly. We are all looking to move beyond the past and move forward.â€
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