Trustees made a “hasty decision” last week to fire Fredonia Department of Public Works Director David Bird, Trustee Paul Wandel said Monday.

Wandel offered a strident defense of Bird at a Fredonia Board of Trustees workshop. Wandel was the only “no” vote when three trustees voted last week to fire Bird. The fifth trustee, Jon Espersen, couldn’t vote because he wasn’t there.

However, Espersen was there Monday, and promised to put an item on the agenda of next week’s meeting to overturn Bird’s termination.

Wandel offered a nearly seven-minute statement portraying his version of the events leading to the firing. It ran around six and a half minutes long.

He said Trustee Ben Brauchler sought an executive session at the previous meeting, citing a personal matter with the DPW.

“I was unaware of that and expected another (union) grievance. In fact, no, it was a call to terminate our recently hired DPW supervisor… in executive session, the call and following words were generated by Trustee (LeeAnn) Lazarony. She continued to recite allegations of Bird’s improper conduct. They were all a function of her own personal investigation, and were verbally alleged with no evidential details and support,” Wandel said.

Wandel noted Lazarony has expressed criticism of Bird since she began as trustee.

“The constant questioning began to establish a pattern to discredit Bird,” Wandel alleged. “Please recall the $3 charge on the DPW invoice for antacid tablets.”

Wandel also mentioned controversies over a truck purchase and a tree cut.

“There has also been controversy regarding trees in the village right of way — who owns them, and whose responsibility it is. Bird pursued answers and clarity from our village legal team. That alone supports his motivation and action to do what is right, even under uncertain(ty) about legal procedures,” Wandel said.

Wandel went on about a Bird truck accident.

“He stated he scraped a snowbank and possibly a physical device,” Wandel said. “The event was immediately reported to the mayor and the treasurer. It was an accident, Bird followed appropriate protocol by reporting it.”

The trustee mentioned Bird had a “heated discussion with an irate Fredonia resident about leaves not being picked up on his property. I listened to verbal testimony from two DPW staff members stating that no physical encounter occurred, and it was simply an exchange of words.”

Wandel said Bird never had an opportunity to defend himself before he was fired, “nor was he ever warned, either verbally or in writing, for any reason. Additionally, the three trustees never asked Bird to discuss anything, even after his repeated attempts to communicate with them. A hasty decision was made after the board engaged in a slanted executive session to state justifiable cause to fire Bird.”

Making the decisions after an executive session, with Espersen not present, is a “bad look for public transparency,” Wandel said.

Wandel called for the restoration of Bird’s job. He also wants “the questionable process and procedure initiated by Lazarony be made crystal clear to all village residents…her allegations against Bird are baseless and motivated by personal and political selfish ambitions. My time and effort are directed toward positive goals and directions for this village. We have enough disruption opposing our efforts. Internal attacks are not just negative, they are divisive, killing our morale and spirit. I advocate for truth and justice. Let’s reverse this baseless accusation and decision and move on — we have a lot of work to do”

As soon as Wandel finished, Lazarony asked for an executive session to discuss the Bird firing. Espersen said the board should have it at the end of the meeting. Lazarony acquiesced and the executive session happened after the meeting.

Doug Bunge is acting as interim supervisor for DPW. He backed Bird as he started the regular DPW report later in Monday’s workshop.

“I’m not really here as a department head, I’m here to support Dave,” Bunge said. “But I can tell you what’s going on.”