Fiery fracas over firing

[Bpeep]

Try getting away with it if you're employed in the private sector.

Imo there's way too much abuse of govt assets in the public sector.
I don't feel sorry for the guy, and imo the employer did exactly what I would have.

[W105]

“Since he was terminated by the district, Mr. Klonteig has sought other reasonably comparable positions without success. Mr. Klonteig therefore claims his job search expense and any relocation expenses he may incur as special damages. The plaintiff will prove his statement of special damages in advance of the trial.”

District representatives declined an offer to comment on the case at that time, but filed a response to the civil claim in Supreme Court this Wednesday.

“The plaintiff (Klonteig) held a position of leadership and authority with the district in a role devoted to the protection of public safety. By driving a district fire department vehicle while having a blood alcohol level that resulted in a 90-day suspension of his driver’s licence and a district fire department vehicle being impounded, the plaintiff posed a significant threat to his own safety and that of others and exposed the district to liability,” reads the document, signed by lawyer Carolyn M. MacEachern.

“The district was entitled to terminate the plaintiff’s employment for just cause and, therefore, the plaintiff is not entitled to notice or payment in lieu thereof.”

They add further light to the nature of Klonteig’s dismissal throughout the document.

“On or about Oct. 6 2013, the plaintiff, while off duty, drove the fire chief’s truck, a district fire department vehicle, to a restaurant and a casino where he consumed alcohol,” the document reads.

“After leaving the casino late at night, the plaintiff was pulled over by the RCMP at approximately 1:30 a.m. and was required to provide a breath or blood sample to measure his blood alcohol level, which the plaintiff advised the district he had failed.”

It’s alleged the sample taken read above .08 and the Mounties immediately seized Klonteig’s driver’s licence and suspended his driving privileges for 90 days. They also as impounded the district vehicle.

“District practice, of which the plaintiff was aware, prohibits the personal use of district fire department vehicles vehicles in these types of circumstances,” it reads.

https://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/dis ... s-lawsuit/

[TreeGuy]

“District practice, of which the plaintiff was aware, prohibits the personal use of district fire department vehicles vehicles in these types of circumstances,” it reads.

https://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/dis ... s-lawsuit/

BINGO!

#dontgoawaymadjustgoaway

[Jflem1983]

Cant believe a judge is gonna have to waste time with this. Be nice if after its ruled that there is no severance etc. If the court made Mr Klonteig pay the city back for the lawyer fees court costs , time wasted dealing with this etc.

Other districts dont want a guy driving fire trucks drunk ? Who woulda thunk it .

[BCwrangler]

He used the fire department truck as a halo of protection on the presumption that the RCMP wouldn't pull over a emergency vehicle for his night out. Karma got him exactly what he had coming!

[TreeGuy]

He used the fire department truck as a halo of protection on the presumption that the RCMP wouldn't pull over a emergency vehicle for his night out. Karma got him exactly what he had coming!

I am still curious if it was a marked vehicle or not. I know for a fact that the Chief at one point had an unmarked truck. As I described above that it was a red Ford with a red canopy, no markings and emergency lights that were hidden (like a ghost rcmp vehicle). If unmarked then the RCMP member must have suspected drunk driving. If marked then maybe he was checking to make sure the vehicle was being driven by a Fire Rescue member and not stolen, because what is a Westside Fire Rescue vehicle doing at 1:30 am out of it's district.

If it was a marked vehicle then shame on him for taking it to the casino. Like it or not there is a stigma associated with certain establishments and having a marked city vehicle parked in the parking lot after hours does not look good.

[Bpeep]

If it was ANY govt owned vehicle, marked or unmarked, he had no business taking it to the casino.

[kelownaobserver]

Guilty. A good example of a poor example

[Jflem1983]

Courts are backed up because of nonsense like this. Some entitled drunk thinks he deserves 150k. Takes up 3 years of the courts time. This is wrong. Needs to be a way that quickly dismisses frivolous lawsuits like this .

Guys are getting away with murder because there is no room in the courts for trial. Yet the courts have time to deal with this ?

[steve mc]

a strong leader would man up and move on.

[W105]

well he must be one heck of a gambling man (besides liking the casino action, and drinking and driving in a company vehicle) cause I think if he loses he could be ordered to pay the defendant's costs..

[Anonymous123]

What happened to the outfit who you could call that would come and drive you home in your own vehicle?

That would have been a much smarter choice for this guy.

I have no sympathy for him losing his job and don't think he deserves any more money for his bad choices.

He should have joined BCAA, then he could call a tow truck and get a ride home.

[soupy]

Try getting away with it if you're employed in the private sector.

Imo there's way too much abuse of govt assets in the public sector.
I don't feel sorry for the guy, and imo the employer did exactly what I would have.

This is spot on.
Hopefully the union / public sector upholds this dismissal.

He deserved to lose his job with this act of stupidity and public endangerment.

[Bpeep]

Guys like this are just another tapeworm in the intestines of society.
Theres countless thousands of them out there in the public sector with a sense of entitlement that they justify merely with their job title. The lack of accountability, sense of entitlement and wanton waste of taxpayers resources is staggering.
They commit acts and waste resources that would get anyone in the private sector fired or prosecuted and they feel insulated with their cronieism, unions, and brotherhoods.
They often feel their job title alone should allow them enrichment that they aren't entitled to. Canadian society is rife with it.
I don't feel sorry for the guy. Since he's proven himself he's a loser fireman and other departments won't hire him, maybe he can get a much lower paying position on the totem pole, one that he might be qualified for. One that doesn't come with a bunch of conceived entitlement.

Any payment going to this guy is your tax dollar.
In fact, it was your tax dollar that drove him from the casino that night.
Too bad they didn't breathalyze him.
A criminal charge was probably more apt.
My apologies for coming across as so cynical about it. I'm just so done with all the bs in the public sector.

[pentona]

This is spot on.
Hopefully the union / public sector upholds this dismissal.

He deserved to lose his job with this act of stupidity and public endangerment.

Being an Assistant Chief, he would not be in the Union; they would have no say in the outcome. Strictly a Management decision.