ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A petition calling for the former St. Johns County Fire Rescue Chief to be re-employed with the department has now been signed by 1,000 people.
“Me having the support the people that show up, the people that reach out to me every day, I mean, that’s what keeps me going through all this, as I know that people don’t just take things at face value. They know who I am, they understand that, you know, these things that are being said are not me. And that’s what keeps me going forward,” former chief Scott Bullard said.
County officials had a week to respond to a grievance filed by Bullard last Wednesday. News4JAX spoke to the Bullard on Thursday about what’s next in his fight to get hired back with St. Johns County.
“I just want to revert back to my battalion chief position,” he said. “It’s my right under the collective bargaining agreement to do that. Because I love doing the job and like I said many times I still feel like I have a lot left to offer the department and the community so let me do what I’ve proven I’m good at.”
Bullard said he is good with not being the chief after being involved in a series of disputes with the county and the firefighter’s union. Bullard came under fire during Hurricane Idalia, when his colleagues expressed concerns about a lack of communication and planning within the fire department before the storm. The union also disagreed with Bullard’s decision to move away from National Fire Protection Association-approved uniforms. He was also criticized for changing the employees’ sick leave policy.
Bullard said a county administrator gave him two options, to resign or be terminated, and he said he chose to resign with the agreement that he would still be able to work with St. Johns County Fire Rescue in another capacity. After filing a grievance with the county, Bullard and his supporters took their fight offline and straight to the county commission on Tuesday, but he said county administrators have yet to respond to his grievance.
“[I] feel disappointed,” he said. “You know, this is a contractual language that seems pretty cut and dry. I mean, it’s all of the stipulations that fall within the article of the contract, are all applicable to this situation. So I don’t understand why it wouldn’t just be a, you look at it, review it, and yep, there it is, and move forward. That doesn’t seem to be the case.”
Bullard said the next step in the process is a face-to-face meeting with Interim County Administrator Joy Andrews. He said she has 20 days to meet with him, and then 15 days to respond in writing.
News4JAX reached out to St. Johns County officials for its response to Bullard’s agreement and we also wanted to know if there was a verbal agreement made regarding Bullard’s employment in another capacity but it did not immediately respond.
Bullard said if he does not receive a response the next step is arbitration.