HAZELWOOD 鈥 A critic of the Robertson Fire Protection District sued district officials Tuesday, saying they were retaliating against him.
John Zamudio鈥檚 lawsuit says in response to critical comments he made at an of the Hazelwood City Council, a district board member called him a bully and said the district would not respond to 911 calls from his address unless police were present.
The suit says board member Joan Noel said at an April 13 meeting that Zamudio was acting like a 鈥渂ully鈥 and had used 鈥渢hreatening language,鈥 and therefore his address would be 鈥渇lagged,鈥 meaning police would need to be present.
Fire District Chief Maynard Howell said in a text message Wednesday that Zamudio鈥檚 address has not been flagged.
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Zamudio has also recently joined a lawsuit filed by a group, , which was originally filed in January over open records requests and has been amended.
The lawsuit, which has not yet appeared in the court file, says district officials have been 鈥渦nlawfully鈥 selling district vehicles and property to current and former employees by failing to hold a public bidding process, post a public notice or memorialize the transactions with written contracts.
The group鈥檚 claims largely mirror what president Jennifer Guyton has said online and in public meetings in Bridgeton and Hazelwood. Guyton鈥檚 group is trying to recall the district鈥檚 board members, citing the financial allegations and their claims that high costs in the district that will bankrupt Hazelwood.
Howell has denied any financial improprieties and said he was working to comply with dozens of Sunshine requests by the citizens鈥 group and the city of Hazelwood. He said the district paid firefighters well to attract them to the district and keep them there.
He also told the the Post-Dispatch that the district was ending its policy of selling used vehicles to current or former employees.
Earlier this month, the district announced that it would slash residential tax rates by nearly 60%, saying it was made possible by the expiration of a tax increment financing plan in Hazelwood.
The district covers about 16 miles and includes about 6,000 residents and 600 businesses, Howell has said.