The Bigfork Fire Department has an opening for a lieutenant with the dismissal of Lt. Sean Reffner. That was the unanimous decision of the Bigfork Fire District Trustees following a sexual harassment complaint by female coworkers.
The former Lt. Reffner had been place don administrative suspension back in September after 20 allegations of misconduct, all but 6 of which failed to have enough evidence to proceed. The complaints had to do with comments made by Reffner and, what the complainants called, “day-to-day obscenities and sexual comments in the workplace.” He called these comments, “firehouse banter.”
That, according the Trustees, isn’t “firehouse banter” and wouldn’t be tolerated by the district.
In his defense, Reffner, represented by a Union official, claimed he hadn’t received sexual harassment training.
We’re told the Bigfork Fire Department has a list of candidates for the, now open, lieutenant position.
