Four Roanoke Firefighters Take City to Court Over Promotions - FOX 21/27 WFXR Roanoke/WWCW Lynchburg News, Weather

Four Roanoke Firefighters Take City to Court Over Promotions

Four Roanoke City firefighters are taking the city to court after they claim the fire chief promised them promotions and then reneged.

In court records, what appears to be an invitation to city council chambers announces a program for the four "recently promoted" officers.

Only the firefighters claim they never actually received those promotions.

Scott Boone, Andy Foley, David Lucas, and Trevor Shannon are the firefighters looking to grieve their cases with the city.

Court records show the Roanoke city manager, Chris Morrill, denied their requests for grievance hearings earlier this month.

Morrill found the firefighters waited too long to file their complaints, and didn't follow proper procedure, according to court records.

The attorney for the four firefighters, John Loeschen, said the city told him his clients didn't receive the promotion due to the privatization of the fire station at the Roanoke Regional Airport in 2010.

"But if you're going to invite them to a pinning ceremony, then you need to promote them," Loeschen said.

Through a spokesperson, Roanoke City Fire-EMS chief David Hoback declined to comment on this story.

Also through a spokesperson, Morrill declined comment.

Both cited personnel concerns.

The case is scheduled to be heard on Sept. 26.

The judge could find the firefighters have no basis for a case, or he could order the city to grant them their formal grievance hearings.