Logan Fire Coordinator suspended over truck purchase

One of Logan County's fire coordinators, James Porter, was recently suspended by the Logan County Commission. The suspension is linked to Porter's purchase of a fire rescue truck from a volunteer fire department.

Logan Fire Coordinator suspended over truck purchase

A.M. Stone | WVOW News

LOGAN One of Logan County's fire coordinators has been placed on paid suspension.

During the first Logan County Commission meeting for the month of July, Commissioners entered into executive session. The behind closed doors meeting is reserved for discussing delicate matters like personnel issues. Commissioners emerged from executive session less than fifteen minutes later. When the meeting returned to open session, Commissioner Diana Barnette made a motion to suspended one of the county’s fire coordinator’s, Jimmy Porter.

"Based upon the discussion during executive session," Barnette said, "I make the motion to suspend James Porter with pay effective immediately, at least until our next public meeting on July 20th."

The motion was unanimously accepted and commissioners did not discuss the matter further.

On the same day, July 6, Jimmy Porter filed a hand written document in the Logan County Clerk’s Office. The document stated Porter has “an issue of ethics.” Porter’s filing stated he self reported to the West Virginia Ethics Commission.

On the same day as his suspension, Logan County Fire Coordinator Jimmy Porter filed the above hand-written document with the Logan County Clerk's Office.

The ordeal revolves around the purchase of a 2011 Ford F350 fire rescue truck from the Buffalo Creek Volunteer Fire Department. Porter bought the truck, (9,369 odometer reading) from the fire department for $15,000. Once the purchase was complete and re-titled, Porter then self reported his purchase to the Ethics Commission. The issue is a fire coordinator purchasing a truck from a fire department within the county where Porter is a coordinator.

As fire coordinator, Jimmy Porter has been known for his insistence that spending by fire departments be audited annually. In fact, Porter called for an employee audit in his hand written notice to the commission as he believes more county employees have ethics issues.

Next meeting of the Logan County Commission is Monday, July 20, at three o’clock. The agenda is expected later this week.

One of Logan County's fire coordinators, James Porter, was recently suspended by the Logan County Commission. The suspension is linked to Porter's purchase of a fire rescue truck from a volunteer fire department.

PHOTO | A.M. Stone, LCC