Rearranging the West Porter Township Fire Protection District board hasn’t lowered the heat that’s had the board simmering for the past year.
The Porter County Board of Commissioners Tuesday morning at a special meeting removed Brad Zupan from the fire board for comments he allegedly made on social media and replaced him with Don Niemeyer, a resident of Lakes of the Four Seasons, over the public protests of another board member who says Niemeyer has publicly threatened him with physical violence.
Niemeyer, in a phone call Wednesday morning, denied that he threatened fellow board member and district treasurer Rob Rabelhoffer. “Rob and I did have a heated discussion, but as for a physical threat that he is claiming, that did not happen,” Niemeyer said. “I am not that type of person.”
Zupan, who served as chair of the board, received a letter on June 25 from district attorney David Hollenbeck on behalf of Commissioners President Jim Biggs, R-North, and Vice President Barb Regnitz, R-Center, calling for his resignation. “Unfortunately, your expressions of dissatisfaction have included personal criticisms and derogatory remarks aimed at both the appointing authority and fellow board members. Such behavior undermines the cooperative environment necessary for effective governance,” the letter read.
Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South, who missed the special meeting because of a scheduling conflict she told fellow commissioners about before the meeting was scheduled, did not sign the letter.
She said Tuesday afternoon via text that she felt Zupan’s removal was inappropriate if the board did not first speak with him and give him the opportunity to rectify the situation – the same process commissioners used for the removal of other board members, including former Health Department board member Jessica Jepsen earlier this year.
In a phone call Wednesday morning Zupan, who was a volunteer firefighter with the Lakes of the Four Seasons Volunteer Fire Force for 18 years and is president of the LOFS Property Owners Association board, said he didn’t post any derogatory remarks on social media until after he received the letter requesting his resignation.
“I think it’s politics being played between Commissioner Biggs,” he said. “He wants to present to the public he’s in favor of a fire territory being formed so that residents have the proper services.
“Twenty-four hours before that meeting (on March 20 to vote on adopting a fire territory), he told us he wanted us to vote no and basically he didn’t want the taxes raised in an election year,” Zupan added.
Rabelhoffer confirmed that claim. “Jim can say what he wants, but he tried to talk me into voting no for that territory,” Rabelhoffer said by phone Wednesday afternoon, echoing what he had said publicly Tuesday morning.
He found Zupan’s removal inappropriate and also argued against the appointment of his replacement.
“So Brad said something harsh and we replace him. Don threatened physical violence,” Rabelhofer said, demanding to know why he would then be appointed to the board when Rabelhofer made clear he felt unsafe serving with him.
“Mr. Niemeyer presented a physical threat to me at one of our meetings. This man is volatile,” he added. “That’s not going to help our cause.”
Biggs said he spoke with Niemeyer about the accusation and he denied making threats. Rabelhofer said there were five witnesses.
Biggs replied that the commissioners are not tolerating any drama from the fire protection board.
“You have my word his butt won’t be in a seat long enough” to be a threat, he said of any false steps from Niemeyer.
Rabelhoffer also spoke about the lack of any fire protection knowledge in recent appointees to the board.
“How many fire professionals do we need on that board?” Biggs asked Rabelhoffer, who is a 25-year career firefighter.
“According to state statute, all of them,” Rabelhofer replied. “The statute does not allow you latitude on that, sir.”
Biggs has said he would like members of the fire board to possess tax knowledge as the district considers forming a fire protection territory that would require levying a tax on affected residents.
“I’m not going to turn that entire decision over to people who have no experience” in levying taxes, Biggs said.
A vote to form a fire protection territory failed this spring and cannot come up for a new vote until next year. Currently, the Lakes of the Four Season Volunteer Fire Department, a nonprofit, serves Winfield Township, the town of Winfield, and the West Porter district.
The fire district board is made up of five members, and Regnitz said the commissioners went back to the last batch of applicants when selecting Niemeyer.
Niemeyer is a Hobart business owner with experience drafting aircraft fire rescue plans. He said his parents own the Hobart Airport. He also sits on the Master Plan and Grievance Committees of the LOFS POA.
Rabelhofer encouraged Biggs to attend the fire protection board meetings. “Why don’t you come to our meeting July 10th? I think it’s because you can’t control the tone.”
Biggs replied that he didn’t attend them because he didn’t want to be a distraction.
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
