Jury awards former firefighter $72,000

[Guest nickcabral]

This is an absolute shame. I just wish the article printed all the facts and not a one sided story.

Jury awards former firefighter $72,000

By Marietta Homayonpour

THE NEWS-TIMES

Friday, April 13th 2007

BETHEL -- A former Stony Hill volunteer firefighter who said he was fired after questioning his pension credits was awarded $72,000 by a Superior Court jury last week.

Kari Sorenson, 41, of Danbury, who filed the lawsuit two years ago, claimed he was not properly credited with time toward his pension and was wrongfully discharged from the department in 2004 because the general membership did not vote on his expulsion.

The six-member jury agreed with him after a trial that began in late March and ended April 3.

Volunteer firefighters in Bethel are eligible for pension benefits from the town based on their service time and attendance at fire and ambulance calls.

The jury found the Stony Hill department failed to keep accurate records of Sorenson's attendance at calls, said his lawyer Beverley Rogers of the Ridgefield law firm of Rogers & Tartaro.

Sorenson will not return to the Stony Hill Department. Rogers said Sorenson withdrew his demand for reinstatement in 2006.

In its decision, Rogers said, the jury did not allow a monetary award to cover Sorenson's legal expenses.

Rogers said the actions of the Stony Hill department and the town led to a no-win situation for both Bethel, which must pay $72,000, and Sorenson who was "vindicated on his claim" but has $63,000 in legal costs.

"This is just a tragedy," she said. "There's no winners in this case."

The lawyer for the Stony Hill department and the town of Bethel, David Monastersky of Howard and Ludorf in Hartford, said the case is "not over yet." He will be filing a motion to reduce the verdict.

Because of the motion, Monastersky said he couldn't comment extensively on the jury's decision. But he said that the judge threw out a retaliation claim made by Sorenson, who contended he was dismissed from the department because he questioned his pension credits.

"It's going to be appealed," said First Selectman Bob Burke about the jury decision. But if an appeal fails and the jury award stands, then half would be paid by the Stony Hill Fire Department and half by the town.

Rogers contended that the actions of the Stony Hill department and the town cost them more than money.

"Volunteer fire departments can never get enough help," she said.

Sorenson could not be reached for comment. But Rogers said Sorenson was an emergency medical technician -- the fire department handles ambulance calls -- and his paid job allowed him to frequently be available for emergency calls in Bethel during weekdays, when there is a dearth of volunteers.

Though Sorenson lives in Danbury, Rogers said he was permitted to be a volunteer at Stony Hill because he often worked in Bethel. Sorenson is a pilot for private charter flights but also did per diem work for Bethel companies, including environmental and air-conditioning businesses, said Rogers.

[BFDCAR5 0]

I couldn't agree more. This lawsuit and virdict is settinga standard know for the other people who have been dismissed for not making the requirements of the pension. Being a memeber of Bethel and knowing the whole story and bases for what had happened, this shows you that record keeping is very important these days.

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

OK, so what's the (whole) story?

[Guest nickcabral]

The negativity of this whole situation has given the Fire Service as a whole, and especially the Volunteers a black eye.

I'm sorry if I offended any of my Stony Hill extended family, but I feel this needed to be discussed for learning purpose. I hope everyone can take something from this. I am in no way being negative about this. I hope this turns into a learning experience.

Edited April 13, 2007 by nickcabral