The Rodeo-Hercules Fire District recently voted to remove the chair from his position after alleged harassment and threats, including a threat to “crucify” the interim fire chief.
The Rodeo-Hercules Fire District board voted on May 9 to remove Ernest Wheeler as chair of the board after an internal investigation, among other things, found that Wheeler had threatened to “crucify” acting Fire Chief Bryan Craig over a disagreement on the use of district funds.
Directors Andrew Gabriel, Raemona Williams and Marc Thorpe voted in favor of removing Wheeler as chair, and director Bill Prather voted against.
“I’m in support of Ernie, but he crossed a line when he went after the fire chief and said he’d fire him, crucify him,” Vice Mayor Dan Romero said. “As a politician, you hire administrators to do everything and he thinks the fire chief hasn’t been honest to the board about everything.”