The Jerome Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously at a July 27 public hearing to dismiss without prejudice its initial charges against township Fire Chief Doug Stewart due to a legal concern over the investigation into Stewart.
The township, however, plans to conduct a new investigation into Stewart’s actions.
The first investigation was conducted by Jerome Township Administrator Brandon Standley, a fact that Stewart’s lawyer objected to at the first hearing on the charges July 21, saying Ohio Revised Code section 505.38 requires that the investigator be either a fire chief or a private citizen. After Stewart declined to waive his objections at the second hearing July 27, the trustees met in executive session for around an hour before voting to dismiss the charges.
“Although Mr. Standley is well qualified to do the investigation, due to the Chief not willing to waive objections in consideration of ORC 505.38 and the trustees not willing to be a test case, it is the intent of the board to move forward in a timely manner to select a new investigator,” trustee Barry Adler said.
The township accused Stewart of improperly participating in partisan political activities, sending an unauthorized letter to a data center developer, unprofessional conduct and insubordination, according to the now dismissed charges the township presented Stewart with on June 15. The dismissal without prejudice means the township could possibly hold more public hearings and dismiss Stewart at a later date.
The trustee’s May 2 order placing Stewart on administrative leave remains in effect, Adler said.
Stewart declined to speak to the media after the hearing, as did the township trustees.
What were the charges against Stewart?
Stewart faced four charges from the township, two of them related to his involvement with local Republican politics.
According to the June 15 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 Ohio House 86th District representative. Specifically, township officials say Stewart appeared in a campaign video for Davis filmed at a Jerome Township fire station, in campaign photos taken at the fire station, allowed the campaign to use his official title of “Fire Chief” in campaign material, appeared in uniform in campaign material, and made social media posts supporting Davis.
Stewart acknowledged participating in the campaign materials during a May 14 interview with township officials, according to the township’s statement of charges.
Stewart’s second charge was for being a member of 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 at the May 14 interview, according to the township document.
The third charge stemmed 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, the township insignia, township contact info and his official title in the letter, according to the township statement of charges. Stewart acknowledged writing and sending the letter, according to the township document.
The final charge against Stewart was 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 the township board of trustees, according to the township statement of charges.
Justin French, a battalion chief, has been serving as acting fire chief since Stewart’s leave began in May.
This story is ongoing and will be updated.
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: Jerome Twp. trustees dismiss charges against fire chief, plan new investigation
Reporting by Nathan Hart, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Nathan Hart, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
