news-record.com

GREENSBORO — Several City Council members say Fire Chief Johnny Teeters' hiring of firefighters for home improvement projects and other work was inappropriate.

The discussion comes a day after Teeters told the News & Record he had shown fire department command staffers receipts from work he hired other firefighters to do for him. He did this, he said, in an attempt to end rumors that some firefighters were promoted for doing the work free.

Teeters said some of the firefighters were promoted but not because of anything they had done for him.

"That seems a little inappropriate," Councilwoman Mary Rakestraw said. "Maybe there was all good intention and good will, but it seems inappropriate."

Teeters is due to retire in December. Rakestraw said she thinks Teeters is "a good man" but he may need to leave sooner. "I don't see the point of waiting until December," she said.

Councilman Zack Matheny agrees Teeters left himself open to criticism but is withholding judgment until after a city investigation into the allegations is complete.

"We need a transition person. Based on that alone, I don't think you fire someone," he said.

Matheny said he would fully support hiring a consulting firm to review the fire department's organizational system.

Councilwoman Sandra Anderson Groat declined to say whether she felt Teeters should leave earlier. She supports hiring a consulting firm.

"I don't know what harm there would be to look at their restructuring plan and look at how their department is run. I think that would be reasonable," she said.

In July, Teeters and his staff began developing an overhaul of the department's command structure. The restructuring, which took effect Feb. 1, is the largest in nearly 15 years, Assistant Fire Chief Paul Brooks said.

The firefighters did work at Teeters' home in Guilford County as well as one he owns at High Rock Lake, Teeters said. It included landscaping, electrical work, house framing and installing a sprinkler system.

Firefighters also helped Teeters move furniture without compensation, although Teeters objected to calling the task "work." This was the only example Teeters would give for help he did not pay for, although he said there are several occasions where firefighters helped him for free.

On Wednesday, Mayor Yvonne Johnson said she thought Teeters' actions were inappropriate but reserved further comment until the investigation was complete.

Assistant City Manager Bob Morgan said the city has not issued a directive to stop supervisors from hiring subordinates for personal work.

He said that is something the consulting firm will look at and the City Council will need to decide.

Councilwoman Trudy Wade declined to comment. Calls to council members Robbie Perkins, T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, Goldie Wells and Mike Barber were not immediately returned.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com