The fate of Jerome Township Fire Chief Douglas Stewart’s job was left undecided after a July 21 township board of trustees hearing on his alleged misconduct.
During the hearing, trustees heard opening statements from one of the township’s lawyers, Jonathan Downes, of law firm Zashin and Rich; Stewart’s lawyer, Barbara Letcher, of Mowery, Youell and Galeano; and they watched Downes question Township Administrator Brandon Standley. Everyone then agreed to recess until July 27 over two hours into the hearing.
On June 15, township officials recommended firing Stewart, accusing him of improperly participating in partisan political activities, sending an unauthorized letter to a data center developer, unprofessional conduct and insubordination.
Under Ohio law, township trustees may remove Stewart from office with a two-thirds majority vote after conducting a hearing.
The hearing’s structure resembles that of a court of law, with lawyers from both sides able to call and question witnesses, cross examine witnesses called by opposing counsel, present evidence, issue closing and opening statements and call rebuttal witnesses.
In his opening statement, Downes argued that Stewart’s actions violated township and fire division policies and the federal Hatch Act, which prohibits political activities by officials in local governments that receive federal grants.
“Under civil service law, there are prohibitions against political activity of the same nature and content, which Mr. Stewart engaged in both in endorsing candidates and sitting on a partisan political committee of a partisan political party,” Downes said.
In her opening statement, Letcher argued that the charges against Stewart should be dismissed because the township did not properly choose an investigator; not every charge against Stewart was investigated; and the charges against him are not recent, were not properly served and are unsubstantiated.
“All of these procedural irregularities violate Chief Stewart’s due process rights, and on that basis, the hearing should not go forward and the charges should be dismissed,” Letcher said.
What did Jerome Township accuse Fire Chief Douglas Stewart of doing?
Stewart faces four charges from the township, two of them related to his involvement with local Republican politics.
According to the statement of charges, Stewart appeared in campaign materials for Wezlynn Davis, a former Jerome Township trustee who lost a bid in the May primary for the Republican nomination for the 86th House District seat. Specifically, township officials say Stewart appeared in a campaign video and photos for Davis at a township fire station, allowed the campaign to use his official title of “fire chief,” appeared in uniform and made social media posts supporting Davis.
Stewart’s second charge is for belonging to the Union County Republican Central Committee, which “constitutes active involvement in partisan political activity beyond mere affiliation or expression of political opinion,” according to the statement of charges. Stewart acknowledged and confirmed his involvement with the committee during a May 14 interview.
The third charge stems from an unauthorized letter Stewart sent to Amazon Web Services in July 2025, criticizing the company’s data centers in the township. Stewart used his official fire chief letterhead, township insignia and contact info and his official title, according to the statement of charges. Stewart acknowledged writing and sending the letter.
The final charge against Stewart is from a June 8 meeting when township officials presented him with a separation agreement in an apparent attempt to avoid taking the matter further. Stewart threw the document across a table and directed “abusive and disparaging remarks” toward Township Administrator Brandon Standley and trustees, according to the statement of charges.
The bulk of the July 21 meeting was spent on Downes’ questioning of Standley, which focused on the evidence against Stewart and which township and fire division policies his alleged actions violated. Letcher did not cross examine Standley before the hearing was called into recess.
Stewart has been on paid administrative leave since a May 2 special trustees meeting. Battalion Chief Justin French has acted as chief since then.
Stewart’s hearing will resume at 4 p.m. July 27 at the Union Rural Electric Collective in Marysville.
Transportation and neighborhoods reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at NHart@dispatch.com, @NathanRHart on X and nathanhart.dispatch.com on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Fate of Jerome Township fire chief left undecided after first hearing
Reporting by Nathan Hart, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Nathan Hart, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
