Jerome Township trustees voted unanimously Wednesday, Oct. 7, to fire Fire Chief Doug Stewart after five months on paid leave and two investigations.
The termination followed a two-day public hearing that concluded Wednesday night. Jerome Township borders Dublin, and its fire department serves Union County residents in the Dublin area.
Trustees Barry Adler, Joe Craft and Andrea Watson found Stewart responsible for two policy violations: appearing in uniform in a political ad for former Ohio House candidate Wezlynn Davis and insubordination during a June 8 meeting with Township Administrator Brandon Standley, as first reported by NBC4.
"His decision to use his position for partisan political purposes is by itself sufficient to warrant termination of employment," Craft said at the hearing.
Stewart had been on paid administrative leave since May 2, 2026. The combined cost of his leave and the legal investigation exceeded $100,000, according to Marysville Matters.
The political charge centered on photos taken in September 2025 showing Stewart in his chief's uniform near fire department equipment. Stewart said the photos documented a reconciliation with Davis after a dispute over a ladder truck purchase. Davis later used the images in her primary campaign materials in early 2026 without Stewart's permission, according to Marysville Matters reporting.
The insubordination charge stemmed from the June 8 meeting with Standley. The township alleged Stewart used profanity and threw a separation agreement across the table. Stewart testified he pushed the document back.
Stewart testified he felt pressured when Standley presented him with a separation agreement offering $7,000 and gave him two days to sign. He said his contract allowed more time and that he felt intimidated into a rushed decision.
His attorney, Barbara Letcher, argued the township's own investigator, private attorney Christina Corl, did not conclude the violations warranted removal. Letcher also pointed out that Craft had previously featured Stewart in a campaign mailer with no consequences. Stewart testified he was told, not asked, to appear in that photo.
The investigation took a winding path. The township's first probe, led by Standley, was scrapped after Letcher raised due-process objections. A hearing on July 27 was halted and charges were dismissed without prejudice. Trustees then hired Corl at $250 an hour to conduct a fresh review. Her 22-page report cleared Stewart of two original allegations but upheld the political-activity and insubordination charges. The report found no laws were broken; the charges relied on local personnel policies.
Cleveland-based law firm Zashin & Rich billed the township at least $24,688 through June 30, 2026, for its role in the case.
Jerome resident Eve Hochhauser told NBC4 after the vote that the township spent too much on legal fees and that the investigation was mishandled.
Stewart issued a statement Thursday disputing the decision and indicating he intended to address it through legal and professional channels
He had previously denied wrongdoing and can file an appeal in Union County Common Pleas Court. Interim Chief Justin French has been leading the department during Stewart's leave and continues in that role. The board has not announced a timeline for naming a permanent chief.
