2 GIFC firefighters criticize leadership

By Karen Carr Keefe

Senior Contributing Writer

Monday’s Town Board meeting brought out points of contention between the Grand Island Fire Co. and one of its former leaders, as well as critical comments from another of the company’s longtime volunteer firefighters.

The current chair of the fire company’s board of directors issued a statement saying the critics’ complaints are “baseless.”

Grand Island firefighter and former fire chief Chris Soluri asked the Town Board to help him find legal counsel to fight a one-year suspension or expulsion from the fire company. He said the censure follows accusations of “alleged harassment and retaliation” against him for speaking out against a fire company leader and his actions during public comment sections of fire company meetings.

In addressing the Town Board, Soluri leveled criticism at the policies and practices of the fire department that he has been a member of for 29 years.

“While actively seeking counsel in discussing the matter with trusted members, I was then slapped by arbitrary and capricious charges and immediately suspended for allegedly sharing the original charging documents with other members,” he said.

 “I’m asking you (the Town Board) to put a stop to the wrongdoing, put a stop to the retaliation, suspension and frivolous charges against me, and put a stop to the misappropriation of tax dollars.”

Soluri said his request for an open hearing on the allegations was denied, and he has been offered an opportunity to defend himself in a private review session no later than July 10.

He also has accused the fire company of misappropriation of tax dollars and said the fire company is being investigated by the state Division of Human Rights.

 Fire Company Board of Directors Chair Jeremy Pullano replied on Tuesday to public comments about the fire company made at Monday’s Town Board meeting.

“This is an inherently unfair process,” he said. “Public comments were made, and we would love to comment; but, as a point of law, we cannot discuss personnel matters. These are obviously baseless claims, and that will prove itself as we move forward.”

Soluri is a life member of the company and said he has been a chief officer for 16 of the years he has served.

He spoke out “to respectfully request legal representation in accordance with General Municipal Law section 205-g, which covers volunteer firefighters.”

“Recently, administrative leaders of the fire company have targeted me for speaking out in open comment portions of fire company meetings regarding one of their leaders and his many wrongdoings, resulting in a current and open investigation against the fire company by the New York State Division of Human Rights,” Soluri said.

 “He and other administrators are crafting the narrative that targets me for speaking up, while (they are) condoning wrongdoing. These so-called leaders have come to you in recent months demanding, in essence, the creation of a fire district while citing the need for more money while trying to justify doubling the fire budget, yet they have misappropriated approximately $15,000 in taxpayer funds for legal counsel for their witch hunt against me.

“While some might say I’m protected by whistleblower laws, I was advised to begin with preparing a defense for alleged harassment and retaliation, despite receiving no due process, which is guaranteed by our fire company bylaws.

Bob Cleveland, a 35-year member of the Island fire company, was at the microphone next, and his complaint also dealt with due process. A 45-year resident of the Island, Cleveland was a foster father for over 20 years and he has adopted five boys.

His criticism of the fire company relates to his son, Daniel, who joined up as a Grand Island volunteer firefighter at age 18 in January of 2023.

“He was well-received. He adjusted well. Everybody liked him. He did fine,” Cleveland said. “In June, there was an incident where a chief officer at a fire drill made a derogatory racial slur. I can’t give it verbatim, but basically it was, ‘All the black guys failed my EMT class today – what a bunch of stupid -------.”

“My son, being African-American, did take offense to this – and, whether he was African-American or not, it’s still wrong to say,” Cleveland claimed.

“I can tell you this as a matter of fact, because the fire company accepted responsibility for this. Through an investigation from at that time, the president, and that time, the chief, they admitted that there was wrongdoing, and they were going to issue appropriate disciplinary action, which never came about,” Cleveland said. “My purpose for being here tonight is, basically, my son has not been afforded any kind of legal counsel.”

Cleveland said that, between the two cases – the one pertaining to his son “making accusations,” and the second, the fire company making accusations to them ­– “in my estimation, over $15,000 has been put into these two cases” by the fire company.

He said that, because taxpayer money is involved, the expenditure will affect the board and the residents of Grand Island.

Cleveland added that Soluri “defended my son on the accusations that the fire company had made.”