Fired Westbrook firefighter
wins appeal, to get job back
By Melanie Creamer mcreamer@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
The Maine Board of Arbitration and Conciliation has overturned the city’s decision to fire Westbrook Firefighter Matthew Lamontagne.
City officials will meet with Lamontagne to determine when he can return work. City Administrator Jerre Bryant said it would be as soon as possible.
Lamontagne was fired in December after a disciplinary hearing on allegations of sexual harassment made by two female firefighters.
Those firefighters, Kathy Rogers and Lisa Theberge, have been on administrative leave for more than a year.
On Oct. 21, they sued Westbrook’s fire department, Bryant and Mayor Bruce Chuluda, claiming all failed to address their complaints of sexual harassment on the job.
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34 COMMENTS
momof3 said...
Is this crap ever going to end?
March 18, 2010 at 11:22 AM Report abuse
UofA said...
The scumbag will not change. Now he will probably get a promotion.
March 18, 2010 at 11:22 AM Report abuse
Cadred said...
Shades of Clarence Thomas
March 18, 2010 at 11:27 AM Report abuse
heyjoe said...
As the turd whirls....
March 18, 2010 at 11:36 AM Report abuse
ABC said...
None of you know the facts yet you are so quick to judge and name call. The women had their chance to present their side and it obviously didn't stand up. I congratulate this firefighter for standing up for himself and patiently waiting for a decision. Hopefully he and his family can move on.
March 18, 2010 at 11:41 AM Report abuse
jude said...
An newly elected mayor can't decide who will run the fire department?
March 18, 2010 at 11:43 AM Report abuse
september said...
what a joke.....you can do what he did and get your job back. that is pathetic.....
March 18, 2010 at 11:49 AM Report abuse
sayyes269 said...
Hey september... I heard that comment you said about your co-worker. Your fired too.
March 18, 2010 at 12:01 PM Report abuse
ElSkipper said...
UNFFFFFFFFFBELIEVABLE
March 18, 2010 at 12:01 PM Report abuse
Nan said...
The female firefighters have been on "administrative leave" for more than a year? Can we assume paid leave? Mow I do not condone sexual harrassment, but for heavens sake, a year's paid vacation is a bit much doncha think?
March 18, 2010 at 12:07 PM Report abuse
Todd said...
Funny how an acusation of sexual harassment is the same as a conviction in some peoples' eyes. I guess you complainers have all the answers, know all the facts, and the board of arbitration and reconciliation is simply stupid. Well here's a clue for you: The one consistent thing in all of your failed arguments and unsupportable positions is you.
March 18, 2010 at 12:37 PM Report abuse
Jayy said...
obviously, the SNAKE-PIT that is the Westbrook Fire Dept still has a long way to go. Hopefully the Mayor will ensure the "good ol'boy" mentality will soon be a thing of the past - well we can hope, right?
March 18, 2010 at 1:08 PM Report abuse
september said...
jayy - well said.....too bad the new Mayor has to clean up the mess that was left for her to handle. But, if anyone can do it, she can...she's making the tough decisions and with her leadership skills and the new leadership team she has hired it is just going to take time......soon the WFD will be a place that doesn't tolerate discrimination and harassment!!
March 18, 2010 at 1:27 PM Report abuse
Really said...
I think with the changes, training, time....it is tgime for the little girls to either come back to work or go find a job they can hadle
March 18, 2010 at 1:30 PM Report abuse
UofA said...
ABC and TODD- some of us from away know enough about these scumbags to know that it was a kangeroo court that give this idiot his job back.
March 18, 2010 at 1:40 PM Report abuse
momof3 said...
ABC, apparently you seem to know all the facts. Maybe you should enlighten the city and the taxpayers. What I do know is this has gone on way too long for both the women and the men involved. It is costing us Westbrook taxpayers way too much money.
March 18, 2010 at 2:17 PM Report abuse
Ricky105 said...
There certainly seems to be no end to this story. It appears you can not fire anybody in the FIRE DEPARTMENT. They will be just called back with pay. I suppose the ex fire chief will also file suit. Best solution disband the department altogether and CONTRACT IT OUT, LIKE WE ARE SORT OF DOING NOW. SAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RETIREMENT ALONE. THERE IS NO PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANY IN THE ENTIRE US THAT LETS YOU RETIRE AFTER 25 YEARS WITH FULL PAY NONE...
March 18, 2010 at 2:33 PM Report abuse
Jawest said...
Cathy Rogers has been running this scam for over ten years I guess the second woman has been in training with Rodgers.the real story will come out
March 18, 2010 at 3:10 PM Report abuse
mainemom3 said...
So this is basically do whatever the heck you want, you'll get a punishment(that is deserved)whine like a 3 year old and then you get what you want. This is the same thing over and over again. Jerre Bryant should be the next on the mayors hit list. What a waste of time and $$$ he is. As well as the rest of the trouble makers, you know who you are.
March 18, 2010 at 4:08 PM Report abuse
spud said...
Congrats Matt. Welcome back
March 18, 2010 at 4:51 PM Report abuse
mtc said...
Take that women's lib ! Stay in the kitchen and let the men be men things will go alot smoother. If my house is burning I would hate to see a pink firetruck full of firegirls coming.
March 18, 2010 at 5:15 PM Report abuse
freedom said...
I'm sure he is a 9/11 hero.
March 18, 2010 at 6:06 PM Report abuse
Ladydiodes2 said...
How sad is this, the board members need to get their ba- -s out of their back pocket and put them up front and start making good decisions.
March 18, 2010 at 7:18 PM Report abuse
mr.bronson said...
Ricky 105 I'll bet if you check out the facts no one in the fire dept can retire at full pay after 25 years, it's probably 1/2 or 2/3 that is the standard for public safety, police,fire,wardens etc
March 18, 2010 at 7:20 PM Report abuse
mr.bronson said...
Ricky 105 The only ones that retire at full pay plus are CEO'S of failed companies.They are usually given million dollar plus severance packages to boot.
March 18, 2010 at 7:25 PM Report abuse
null said...
How about the amount of bad talk that the ladies did over the years. The FF's are wrong to talk like that but the women involved also slung the talk around just as fast as the men around them. They were just waiting until they could file a complaint, again, in order to take more time off. I hope that the people involved have kept their skills up. It seems as though the losers in the entire ordeal are the taxpayers.
March 18, 2010 at 8:37 PM Report abuse
null said...
How about the amount of bad talk that the ladies did over the years. The FF's are wrong to talk like that but the women involved also slung the talk around just as fast as the men around them. They were just waiting until they could file a complaint, again, in order to take more time off. I hope that the people involved have kept their skills up. It seems as though the losers in the entire ordeal are the taxpayers.
March 18, 2010 at 8:37 PM Report abuse
dennis60 said...
right wrong or whatever i think it is stupid that these females have been paid for a year to do nothing if i lived there i would be raising holy hell
March 18, 2010 at 8:48 PM Report abuse
mtc said...
Just goes to show that women should stay the heck away from where they don't belong. It's costing the taxpayers of Westbrook a stupid amount of money for downtime and lawyers. You don't see men wanting to sell makeup at Macy's.
March 18, 2010 at 10:49 PM Report abuse
jake007 said...
the world is a safer place now!
March 18, 2010 at 11:48 PM Report abuse
Ary said...
This poor excuse for a man has a proven track record of sexual harrasment . The good ole boys network comes through again.I am so disappointed in the board's decision. I will be sure not to get sick or hurt in Westbrook so this "person" does not work on me..........
March 19, 2010 at 3:21 AM Report abuse
PatsFanStill said...
I don't know the details behind this story and apparently few commentors on here do either. Seems like the guys support the male FF and the girls support the women. Take it from me as a guy who works in a predominatly female work group, when the shoe is on the other foot, the ladies are just as guilty of sexual harrasement and prejudice towards the males. So get off your stink'in high horses with the whole 'Good Ole Boy' stuff, because you ladies (?) aren't any better.
March 19, 2010 at 8:56 AM Report abuse
charles said...
Patsfan is right. I also work in an environment dominated by females and its brutal. However, because they are female, lots more gets overlooked than if it were males doing the harassing. Its too bad.
March 19, 2010 at 10:37 AM Report abuse
dumbfounded said...
This is a riot, The only people who know the truth are the ones involved. I also think that being paranoid about your huband does not mean you bring it onto those around you. But safety should be the #1 priority and if they are not being treated as a team, that is the Dept's Fault not the girls. And there are some things better left unsaid, Men you need to know when to keep your mouth shut. Maybe they are just jelouse that the girls are better at the job than them.
March 19, 2010 at 4:03 PM Report abuse