Kingsville’s investigation of its fire chief to continue

By MARK TODD - Staff Writer - mtodd@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

September 11, 2008 04:16 am

— KINGSVILLE TOWNSHIP — Trustees in Kingsville Township will hear sworn testimony at a hearing later this month in hopes of wrapping up a months-long inquiry into allegations of misconduct involving Fire Chief Chip Laugen.
A disciplinary hearing will be held after trustees’ regular meeting Sept. 24 to continue the work done by a citizens committee, which spent weeks investigating several allegations that surfaced in late spring, trustees agreed at a Wednesday night meeting.
Ralph Humphrey, who chaired the citizens’ panel, presented his group’s report to trustees at the meeting. After an executive session to discuss personnel, trustees reconvened the regular meeting to announce the upcoming hearing.
Trustees said they were following procedures recommended by the
Ashtabula County Prosecutor’s Office.
The upcoming session is a disciplinary hearing in name only, said Trustee Doug Reed. No possible sanctions against Laugen will be discussed at that time, he said.
Instead, the hearing will expand on the findings of the citizens committee and feature testimony under oath from witnesses called by the trustees, Laugen or his attorney. Only people with “pertinent firsthand information” of the allegations will be permitted to testify, trustees said.
“We’re continuing (the investigation),” said Darrell Ensman, trustee chairman.
A decision on the case will come at the trustees’ regular meeting in October, members said.
Outside the executive session, Humphrey said his committee talked to six individuals on the matter. Later, trustees voted to submit to the county prosecutor the names of six potential witnesses for the Sept. 24 hearing.
Details on the specific allegations have been sketchy, and trustees have labeled the situation a personnel matter.
A copy of the citizens’ report was not immediately available after Wednesday night’s meeting. The public may request a copy by contacting a trustee, members said.
After the meeting, trustees said they did not have a chance to study the report during the executive session.
Laugen, who attended the meeting, was given a copy of the report during the meeting.