OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Evansville Fire Department Board Special Meeting – Termination Vote for Lieutenant Wes Alexander (May 26, 2026)

City Council — Tuesday, May 26, 2026
BodyEvansville, Indiana
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, May 26, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 8:26
Transcript — Verbatim
0:34

Okay, good afternoon.

0:35

It is 105.

0:38

On May the 26, 2026.

0:42

We're convening the second part of our special meeting.

0:47

I'm calling it to order now.

0:49

We need to do a roll call.

0:51

Do we have all the members present?

0:53

Mr.

0:54

President, all members are here.

0:55

We do have a quorum.

0:57

At this point, we'll take any public comment before we take final action.

1:01

Anyone else has anything to say?

1:06

Okay, seeing and hearing none.

1:08

We will go down the charges one at a time and vote, and then we will have a final vote on termination.

1:17

Go ahead, Ms.

1:17

Secretary.

1:18

All right.

1:19

Um I'm gonna make a motion.

1:21

Uh I move to affirm charge count A, violation of policy one hundred three, neglect of duty against Lieutenant West Alexander.

1:30

Um Comer Vick, how do you vote?

1:32

Wait a minute, we need to get a second.

1:34

Oh, I'm sorry.

1:35

Do we have a second?

1:36

Second.

1:36

Okay.

1:37

Now on to discussion.

1:40

Seeing and hearing, I'll call for a vote.

1:43

Commissioner Vick.

1:44

Affirm.

1:45

Commissioner Ferguson.

1:47

Affirm.

1:47

Commissioner Fetcher, confirm.

1:50

Vice President Jackson, President Dickinson.

1:54

Confirm.

1:58

Okay.

1:58

We will need a set a motion on uh section B of the notice.

2:05

President, I move to affirm the charge count B, violation policy one hundred three violation of rules against Lieutenant Wes Alexander.

2:13

Second.

2:16

On to discussion.

2:18

Seeing and hearing now, call for a vote.

2:20

Commissioner Vick.

2:22

Affirm.

2:22

Commissioner Ferguson.

2:23

Affirm.

2:24

Commissioner Fetcher.

2:25

Confirm.

2:26

Uh Vice President Jackson.

2:27

Affirm.

2:28

President Dickinson.

2:29

Affirmed.

2:33

Next is part two C on the violations.

2:39

We need to get a motion on that policy.

2:45

Mr.

2:45

President, I move to affirm the charge count C violation of policy one hundred three conduct unbecoming against Lieutenant Wes Alexander.

2:55

On to a second.

2:56

Second.

2:58

Any discussion.

3:01

Seeing hearing none, I'll call for a vote.

3:03

Commissioner Vick.

3:04

Affirm.

3:05

Commissioner Ferguson.

3:06

Affirm.

3:07

Commissioner Fetcher.

3:08

Confirm.

3:09

Vice President Jackson.

3:11

President Dickinson.

3:12

Confirmed.

3:15

On the next section two D violation policy.

3:20

I need a motion.

3:22

Mr.

3:22

President, I move to affirm the charge count E, violation of policy two one-eight conduct on beh uh conduct and behavior against Lieutenant Wes Alexander.

3:33

Second?

3:34

Second.

3:35

On to discussion.

3:38

Seeing and hearing then I will call for a vote.

3:40

Commissioner Vick.

3:42

Affirm.

3:42

Commissioner Ferguson.

3:44

Affirm.

3:44

Commissioner Fetcher.

3:46

Affirm.

3:47

Vice President Jackson?

3:49

President Dickinson.

3:51

Deny.

3:53

Four to one.

3:55

Okay.

3:56

On section two E.

4:01

Of the charges.

4:02

I need a motion.

4:03

Mr.

4:04

President.

4:04

Oh, I'm sorry.

4:05

Go ahead.

4:05

No, go ahead.

4:06

Oh, no.

4:07

Okay.

4:08

Ms.

4:08

President, I move to affirm the charge count F.

4:11

Violation of policy four two five performance of duties against Lieutenant Wes Alexander.

4:17

Second.

4:19

On to discussion.

4:22

Seeing it hearing none I'll call for a vote.

4:24

Commissioner Vick.

4:25

Affirm.

4:25

Commissioner Ferguson.

4:26

Affirm.

4:27

Commissioner Fetcher, confirm.

4:28

Vice President Jackson.

4:30

President Dickinson.

4:32

Confirm.

4:35

And on the final charge to F.

4:39

Okay.

4:41

I'll need a motion to concur.

4:44

Mr.

4:45

President, I move to affirm charge count F.

4:48

Violation of policy four-two-five performance of duties against Lieutenant Wes Alexander.

4:54

Second.

4:56

I'll do any discussion.

5:00

So you in hearing I'll call for a vote.

5:02

Commissioner Vick.

5:04

Commissioner Ferguson.

5:05

Affirm.

5:05

Commissioner Fetcher, confirm.

5:07

Vice President Jackson.

5:09

President Dickinson.

4:59

Affirm.

5:15

Okay.

5:17

The next action to be taken is I would entertain a motion.

5:22

Sorry.

5:23

Let me see what you got there.

5:25

Uh to affirm the chief's recommendation the West Alexander be terminated as member of the Onesville Fire Department.

5:30

I have to make that motion.

5:32

I'll make the motion to honor and uphold the Chiefs recommendation.

5:37

Slash requests determined in the point of the student, West Alexander.

5:42

We have a motion.

5:43

Do I have a second?

5:44

Okay.

5:45

On to discussion.

5:50

See you in the hearing, then I'll call for a vote.

5:53

Commissioner Vick.

5:55

Commissioner Ferguson.

5:56

Affirm.

5:57

Commissioner Fetcher.

5:58

Affirm.

5:59

Vice President Jackson from President Dickinson.

6:02

Nay.

6:03

And I would like to explain my vote a little bit.

6:05

I appreciate what the city has presented to us.

6:08

I appreciate what you guys have presented also.

6:12

From what I saw, I did not think this rose to the level of termination, especially given Mr.

6:20

Alexander's.

6:33

Unfortunately, uh there was not agreement on that.

6:37

So my my vote is nay.

6:40

But I do wish you the best, sir.

6:46

Uh so the vote to terminate, Lieutenant Alexander is affirmed.

6:51

Four to one.

6:54

And I would entertain a motion to adjourn.

6:57

And just before we do, um, to be clear, we'll need to enter findings of fact and conclusions of law within 30 days, and given you have a June 9th uh your next hearing date.

7:07

Um I'll probably get a try and get a draft circulated before that.

7:10

Okay, so that'll need to be signed?

7:12

Yeah, and need to be adopted.

7:14

Okay.

7:15

Okay, so we'll need to do that at the next thing.

7:16

All right.

7:17

And that chief motion to adjourn.

7:19

Add that to the to the agenda for next meeting.

7:23

The affirmation.

7:24

Okay, multiple topics.

7:25

Okay.

7:25

Okay.

7:28

I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

7:31

So moved.

7:32

Second.

7:33

Okay, one discussion.

7:35

So you're hearing that we are adjourned.

7:37

We need vote.

7:39

We just need to vote.

7:40

Oh, sorry.

7:40

All those in favor of adjourned.

7:42

I think there's a lot of stuff going on.

7:46

Thank you.

7:49

Okay.

7:52

Okay.

7:54

I'm off to that.

7:56

I think that's not what they have.

8:00

I'll keep that.

8:01

That's hers.

8:03

That's hers.

8:09

Thank you, Madam Reporter.

8:10

We appreciate you.

8:11

Yes, thank you.

8:16

Thanks, sir.

8:17

Thank you.

8:24

Okay.

8:25

I'll read it

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Personnel Matters█████████████████████████████████████████████90%
Procedural█████10%
Summary of Proceedings

Special Meeting of the Evansville Fire Department Board – Termination Hearing for Lieutenant Wes Alexander

This special meeting, convened on May 26, 2026, at approximately 1:05 PM, was the second part of a hearing to consider charges against Lieutenant Wes Alexander. After receiving no public comments, the board voted on six specific counts of policy violations and then on the chief's recommendation to terminate Alexander's employment.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were offered.

Discussion Items

  • The board, consisting of Commissioner Vick, Commissioner Ferguson, Commissioner Fetcher, Vice President Jackson, and President Dickinson, reviewed six charges against Lieutenant Wes Alexander. Each charge was moved, seconded, and voted on individually.

  • Count A (Violation of Policy 103 – Neglect of Duty): Motion to affirm. Vote: Unanimous (5-0).

  • Count B (Violation of Policy 103 – Violation of Rules): Motion to affirm. Vote: Unanimous (5-0).

  • Count C (Violation of Policy 103 – Conduct Unbecoming): Motion to affirm. Vote: Unanimous (5-0).

  • Count D (Violation of Policy 218 – Conduct and Behavior): Motion to affirm. Vote: 4-1 (President Dickinson voted "deny", others affirmed).

  • Count E (Violation of Policy 425 – Performance of Duties): Motion to affirm. Vote: Unanimous (5-0). (Note: The transcript refers to this as "count F" during the motion but it was under section two E.)

  • Count F (Violation of Policy 425 – Performance of Duties): A second motion was made for an identical charge under the same policy. Vote: Unanimous (5-0). (The transcript shows two separate votes for the same policy 425 count.)

  • Following the votes on individual charges, a motion was made to uphold the chief's recommendation to terminate Lieutenant Alexander. After discussion, President Dickinson voiced his dissent, stating he did not believe the charges rose to the level of termination.

Key Outcomes

  • All six charges were affirmed by the board, with President Dickinson dissenting on Count D (policy 218 violation).
  • The board voted 4-1 to terminate Lieutenant Wes Alexander from the Evansville Fire Department. President Dickinson was the sole nay vote.
  • The board agreed to enter findings of fact and conclusions of law within 30 days, with a draft to be circulated before the next hearing on June 9, 2026, and adopted at that meeting.

Note: Some labeling inconsistencies appear in the transcript regarding charge designations (e.g., count E was referred to as "count F" during the motion, and policy 425 was voted on twice). The outcome remains that all charges were affirmed and termination was approved.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, good afternoon. It is 105. On May the 26, 2026. We're convening the second part of our special meeting. I'm calling it to order now. We need to do a roll call. Do we have all the members present? Mr. President, all members are here. We do have a quorum. At this point, we'll take any public comment before we take final action. Anyone else has anything to say? Okay, seeing and hearing none. We will go down the charges one at a time and vote, and then we will have a final vote on termination. Go ahead, Ms. Secretary. All right. Um I'm gonna make a motion. Uh I move to affirm charge count A, violation of policy one hundred three, neglect of duty against Lieutenant West Alexander. Um Comer Vick, how do you vote? Wait a minute, we need to get a second. Oh, I'm sorry. Do we have a second? Second. Okay. Now on to discussion. Seeing and hearing, I'll call for a vote. Commissioner Vick. Affirm. Commissioner Ferguson. Affirm. Commissioner Fetcher, confirm. Vice President Jackson, President Dickinson. Confirm. Okay. We will need a set a motion on uh section B of the notice. President, I move to affirm the charge count B, violation policy one hundred three violation of rules against Lieutenant Wes Alexander. Second. On to discussion. Seeing and hearing now, call for a vote. Commissioner Vick. Affirm. Commissioner Ferguson. Affirm. Commissioner Fetcher. Confirm. Uh Vice President Jackson. Affirm. President Dickinson. Affirmed.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com