ROCKVILLE, Md. 鈥斅燤ontgomery County鈥檚 Chief of Fire and Rescue Services has sent out a department-wide email explaining he鈥檇 been made aware of 鈥渋nappropriate鈥� incidents by some staffers and warning the members of the聽staff that they are expected to work in an atmosphere 鈥渇ree of harassment and discrimination.鈥�
In the email sent last Friday, Chief Scott Goldstein stated he鈥檇 been made aware of 鈥渃onduct and interactions between FRS and contract custodial staff that is unacceptable.鈥�
Goldstein described the conduct relayed to him as including vulgar inappropriate sexual comments, flirtatious comments, negative comments regarding 鈥渄iverse neighboring communities鈥� and comments and personal opinions related to Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals, all directed at members of the custodial staff who are contracted to work at the county鈥檚 various fire stations and facilities.
He indicated they were not isolated incidents, saying 鈥淐omments/concerns/occurrences have been cited from multiple FRS worksites with contract custodial staff. It is not limited to a single station or shift.鈥�
He explained he鈥檇 instructed the department鈥檚 duty chiefs to remind staff members that they are expected to 鈥渟erve with integrity and mutual respect鈥� and that they are to 鈥減romote equity and harmony鈥� among career and volunteer personnel.
Goldstein said that while most FRS staffers welcome and support the work of the custodial workers, 鈥渢he inappropriate actions of a few destroy the work of many.鈥�
The email didn鈥檛 go beyond saying that there had been 鈥渃oncerns鈥� and 鈥渙ccurrences鈥� relayed to him.
At a Monday morning briefing with reporters, Montgomery County Council President Hans Riemer was asked about the letter, and said it was the first he was hearing of it.
Patrick Lacefield is a spokesman for Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett. He wrote an email saying the county executive only heard about the chief’s email on Monday morning.
“My understanding is that no official complaints have been filed, this was based on feedback from contractors,鈥� Lacefield wrote.
The custodial staff works on a contract basis鈥攊nformation regarding the contractor and how and when the feedback was supplied was not immediately available.
Goldstein said his equal employment opportunity officers had been contacted by some of the custodial staff who work at six of the department鈥檚 37 fire and rescue service buildings.
Capt. Dave Kennedy, one of those officers, and said he was approached by some of the contract workers on Jan. 27 about comments they had overheard or that had been directed at them.
Kennedy said Monday he asked the custodial workers whether they wanted to file a formal complaint and says the workers 鈥� he didn鈥檛 specify how many 鈥� said they just wanted the issue addressed.
Goldstein said that while no formal complaints were made, he鈥檚 open to investigating further should the need arise. He says he issued the Feb. 9 email to make the department鈥檚 stance on issues surrounding equity clear: 鈥淥ur guiding principles as a department do not support inappropriate behavior, and I do not support actions that would be disrespectful, hurtful or discriminatory.鈥�
Kennedy, who is African-American, said he feels the Fire and Rescue Service does a good job of addressing issues of discrimination, and says Goldstein鈥檚 letter helps illustrate that. 鈥淏ecause if you don鈥檛 have buy-in from the top, you won鈥檛 have buy-in from the bottom,鈥� he said.
While it can be frustrating to deal with discrimination, Kennedy said, it鈥檚 gratifying to see that staff and the employees of the county鈥檚 contractors feel confident in coming to him with their concerns. 鈥淭he greatest thing for me is to see that people come to me and feel comfortable telling me when they don鈥檛 feel that they鈥檙e being treated right. It鈥檚 my job and my team鈥檚 job to make sure that we make that right.鈥�
Goldstein said he wants to reassure staff members and contract employees that they will get heard.
