An effort to oust longtime Auburn Township Fire Chief John Phillips failed following a heated discussion during the lengthy Jan. 5 Auburn Township Trustees organizational meeting.
An effort to oust longtime Auburn Township Fire Chief John Phillips failed following a heated discussion during the lengthy Jan. 5 Auburn Township Trustees organizational meeting.
When trustees took up the reappointment of Phillips as fire prevention officer, newly-elected Trustee Riley Davis called for discussion.
Davis said he had spoken with numerous residents and fire personnel since being elected in November and attended several trustee meetings before taking his seat on the board Monday.
“I really wasn’t comfortable making this appointment without really knowing what we have,” he said.
Reading from prepared remarks, Davis said the fire chief has one of the highest salaries among township administrators, while all other township employees are paid hourly.
Phillips’ salary for 2024 was $68,990, according to the meeting agenda.
Davis Questions Certification
Davis questioned Phillips’ current firefighting and emergency medical service certifications and said the chief does not conduct annual employee reviews or play an active role in department operations.
“We deserve an operational chief,” Davis said. “I believe we should not reappoint Phillips.”
Davis recommended trustees consult the department’s board of directors before making a decision.
“The fire board said they would like to be involved in a decision,” Davis said, noting the department operates with a $1.5 million budget and claiming the fire department’s treasurer and secretary handle most administrative duties for the Auburn Volunteer Fire Department.
Davis also alleged Phillips indicated in 2024 he would retire within a couple of years, though trustees said the topic had not been broached.
Auburn’s fire department is an independent organization that contracts with the township to provide fire and EMS services. About 15 years ago, state legislation required township fire chiefs to be appointed by township trustees, Trustee Mike Troyan said.
Township resident Shawn Roland supported Davis’ concerns, saying Auburn firefighters and EMS personnel perform well while the township continues to grow.
“(It’s) important to have a good leader. I struggle with why this small department pays more than $100,000 for a nonoperational chief,” he said, claiming the organization has a top-heavy administrative structure and most of the work falls on the assistant chief.
“We want to make sure taxpayers’ dollars are being used properly,” Roland said.
As discussion among the more than 40 people in attendance grew louder, Troyan struck the gavel and called for a vote, but Assistant Chief Vince Valerio asked to speak.
“The chief does do his job,” Valerio said. “There is more to being a chief than responding to calls. He does a lot of administration as chief. When he got sick, I found out what the chief does. There’s other issues at hand here. Everything’s getting done. Under the chief’s direction, we are where we are today. Our shifts are 95% full.”
The department responded to 1,084 calls in 2025, Valerio said.
“The community comes first, then the organization. Overall, I think we’re doing pretty good,” he said.
Troyan noted Phillips oversees 37 employees, and a woman in the audience said, “The chief is available 24/7.”
Trustee P.J. Cavanagh said he appreciated all the work Davis put into raising the issues and suggested trustees could, in the future, consider holding an executive session to discuss appointment of an employee or public official.
When Troyan called for the vote, he and Cavanagh voted to reappoint Phillips and Davis voted no.
Davis also voted against approving compensation for the fire prevention officer, which increased Phillips’ annual pay to $70,922, including a 2.8% cost-of-living increase. That motion passed 2-1.
Fiscal Officer Dan Matsko said Phillips’ full employment package totals about $107,000 annually.
Phillips Responds
Phillips responded to a request for comment Tuesday morning, saying he appreciates the confidence shown by Cavanagh and Troyan.
Philips, 70, has served the department for 50 years. He said the department’s history explains some of Davis’ concerns, including the absence of an application for the chief’s position in township records.
“I was elected chief by the fire corporation,” he said, noting legislation requiring trustees to appoint the chief had not yet passed at the time.
When the law took effect, trustees did not seek other candidates, Phillips said.
“I was already doing the job,” he said. “I don’t think Mr. Davis really understood they hired me to be the fire and EMS administrator.”
In the 27 years he has been chief, Phillips said he has frequently responded to resident calls and remains available to answer questions.
Over the decades, Phillips has guided the department through significant growth and change, he said.
“I’ve taken on some big projects,” he said, including overseeing construction of the 12,000-square-foot fire station.
As chief, he improved staffing to ensure the station is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Phillips said, noting that shift commanders handle daily calls.
“Our staff does a great job managing calls,” he said.
Addressing concerns about staffing levels, Phillips said the issue affects departments countywide.
“Staffing is a very tough issue all over Geauga County. We are able to cover our shifts 99% of the time,” he said. “I think Mr. Davis has not been given all the facts. He needs to spend a little more time getting to know the operations of the station and the township.”
Phillips said he invited Davis to meet with him and his assistant chiefs before the meeting.
“When he walked through the door, his whole focus was on me and my job,” Phillips said. “He didn’t seem to be interested in what we are doing and where we are going in the future. I told him I look forward to working with him.”
Phillips said he was not concerned about the heated discussion Monday night.
“I have big shoulders – I don’t take things personally,” he said.
Even if he steps down as chief in the future, Phillips said he plans to remain a member of the department.
“I’ve got some things I want to accomplish before I retire,” he said.
