Camas, WA — Camas Fire Chief Leo Leon has been fired from the position he’s held for six years.

Leon, 65, confirmed Friday was his last day on the job. He will take administrative leave on Monday and be unemployed Tuesday.

Mayor Paul Dennis said he and City Administrator Lloyd Halverson spoke with Leon Monday and came to a mutual understanding it was best for Leon to leave the city.

“We just needed to make a leadership change,” Dennis said Friday. “I just felt that we really needed to move in a different direction.”

Leon agreed the decision was mutual.

“We mutually decided because I refused to retire or resign,” Leon said Friday. “I felt it was unjustified, unwarranted and that it would make it look like I voluntarily decided to go, and I haven’t.”

Leon declined to comment further.

Leon will receive a severance of three months pay and health benefits, per his contract with the city. Leon’s 2011 salary is $10,016 per month or $120,192 annually.

In a written statement, the city said Leon’s leadership of the Camas Fire Department was not meeting expectations.

“I appreciated that Leo accepted the position six years ago, and he accomplished much — especially in the first several years,” Halverson said in the written statement. “More recently there have been setbacks, confidence has been lost, and now it is time for a change in the leadership of the Fire Department.”

Dennis agreed Leon had many accomplishments and said the chief made “great strides” during his first three years on the job.

“Without a doubt, he was my number one choice when we went through the recruitment during my first year as mayor,” Dennis said.

But in looking at the challenges the city faces in all departments, such as declining revenues and increasing expenses, Dennis said it became apparent he needed to make a leadership change.

“We’re facing a lot of challenges,” he said. “We really need to start thinking nontraditionally and start thinking about what’s the new norm and make strides that shift the department in that direction.”

The recent conviction and sentencing of former Camas fire captain and paramedic Bradley Curtis Allen for stealing a narcotic painkiller from the department was not a factor in the chief’s termination, Dennis said.

“There’s no way to blame anybody but Brad for what Brad did,” he said.

The city will begin recruiting for a permanent replacement as soon as possible, Dennis said.

In the meantime, Dennis has appointed Monte Brachmann, who retired as the city’s public works director in 2009, to serve as interim fire chief. Brachmann served as a volunteer firefighter for 25 years and worked for the city for nearly 40 years.

This month marks Leon’s 38th year in the firefighting profession. He began his career at the Los Angeles Fire Department in January 1973.

Marissa Harshman: 360-735-4546 or marissa.harshman@columbian.com.

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