Winooski: Fire chief suspended for 'inappropriate conduct'

Winooski's fire chief has been accused of inappropriate conduct, which led to his being placed on paid administrative leave, according to a letter the city sent to the chief notifying him of the suspension.

David Bergeron, who also serves at the city's building inspector, code enforcement director and emergency management coordinator, was placed on leave March 22. The Burlington Free Press was first to report Bergeron's employment status last week, but the reasons for his leave had remained unclear.

A letter the city provided to the Free Press following a public-records request shows that Bergeron is accused of unspecified "inappropriate conduct" and of "printing inappropriate materials on city property." The letter, from City Manager Katherine "Deac" Decarreau to Bergeron on March 22, offered no further details about the accusations.

"Our initial investigation has provided reason to believe these accusations may be valid and as such, you have been placed on Paid Administrative Leave until such time as the investigation is complete," the letter stated. Bergeron remains a city employee, according to the letter.

Attempts to reach Bergeron for comment were unsuccessful. It was unclear whether Bergeron had retained a lawyer.

Decarreau wrote in the letter that the chief's inappropriate conduct was "with respect to," but the document released Wednesday then contains a short passage that was blacked out to remain hidden from public view. The letter also stated the alleged printing of inappropriate materials occurred March 17.

Decarreau said Wednesday the accusations remain under investigation. She declined further comment.

Bergeron has been a member of the fire department since 1995, Human Resources Manager Julie Hulburd said last week. His salary is $77,812 a year.

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He was told in the letter to surrender his city-provided phone and badge, and that his access to email would be cut off during his leave. The letter also instructed him to stay off city property, have contact only with Decarreau and the human-resources manager, avoid responding to fire-department calls and consider taking advantage of the city's employee assistance program.

Decarreau has said Assistant Fire Chief John Spittle will lead the department in Bergeron's absence. Bergeron's deputies in the code enforcement office will fulfill his duties as building inspector.

This story was first posted on March 30, 2016. Contact Elizabeth Murray at 651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LizMurraySMC.