Brandon Twp.- After nearly two and a half hours of deliberation behind closed doors, the township board came out of a closed session at a special meeting Monday night and made the unanimous decision to terminate Christine Fisher as a township employee.
Fisher, an administrative assistant at the Brandon Fire Department, and township employee for 23 years, had been on paid leave since her arrest Sept. 8 and subsequent arraignment on Sept. 10 on charges of possession of heroin and possession of cocaine, both felonies, as well as a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.
She was released from the Oakland County Jail on Sept. 11 on bond and was present at the Sept. 22 special meeting. She and her attorney, Jeffrey Franklin of Rochester, declined to comment at that time.
‘It was an extremely difficult decision to terminate Chris Fisher,? said Supervisor Kathy Thurman. ‘It wasn’t taken lightly at all. She has been a longtime employee and is well-liked by the other employees. We deliberated a long time, but ultimately we did what we felt was best for the township. Termination was based on the information we had been given regarding charges.?
Fisher, 46, was arrested Sept. 8 by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Team after drugs including heroin, cocaine and marijuana, as well as various drug paraphernalia used for drug trafficking were discovered during a search of her Waterford residence. Possession of heroin and cocaine are each punishable by four years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine.
‘The situation that Chris has found herself in is out of character for her and I understand the very difficult decision the board had to make,? said Fire Chief Dave Kwapis. ‘We are talking about a long term employee of the fire department. I hope this issue resolves itself in a positive manner.?
OCSO Sgt. Greg Glover of the Brandon substation said police have been investigating Ahmed Caldwell, whom Fisher allegedly lived with, for several months after Caldwell sold narcotics to an undercover officer on three different occasions. According to OCSO reports, Caldwell’s five count felony warrant included possession charges, as well as sale and manufacture of narcotics. Surveillance was being conducted on Fisher’s residence on Sept. 8 and police made a traffic stop on Caldwell shortly after he left the residence’s driveway in a purple Land Rover that day. They discovered drugs on him and in the vehicle and obtained the search warrant for the house in which the drugs were found that led to the charges against Fisher.
On Wednesday, Franklin, Fisher’s defense attorney, said they were very disappointed in the board’s decision to terminate her.
‘We would have hoped the board would have taken into consideration her 23 years of exemplary service before taking adverse employment action,? Franklin said. ‘We are hopeful that when all the facts come out Ms. Fisher will ultimately be vindicated on all of the pending charges. She was unaware of any illegal drugs that were in her home. I’ll deny that she was residing in the home with Mr. Caldwell. She was living there, but not with him.?
Franklin refused comment on whether Caldwell had any possessions in Fisher’s home. Glover said the investigation found adult male clothing, shoes and jewelry in the same bedroom as women’s clothing, shoes and jewelry at Fisher’s residence, the same bedroom in which heroin, cocaine and marijuana were found.
Franklin said that a previous report that drugs were found in a safe along with a gun registered to Fisher was ‘inaccurate in this investigation.?
Glover clarified that a handgun registered to Fisher was found in a safe with drugs and cash at another residence during a previous arrest of Caldwell.
Fisher has no prior criminal history.
The township board will pay all benefits owed Fisher, including unpaid vacation time, by Oct. 16. No severance package was offered.
‘When we don’t protect our reputation, we can sometimes receive a black eye that remains permanent,? said Treasurer Terri Darnall regarding the decision to terminate Fisher. ‘We’ve had to do some real soul searching. When that soul searching is sincere, it’s a good thing. As a township, we need to maintain an excellent reputation, as imperfect as it is, sometimes that’s a force for good.?
Thurman said the township board will be reviewing and making changes to township policies, not as a result of what happened, but because the township policies ‘are antiquated and need to be updated.?
‘I don’t know if we will do random drug testing, because I don’t believe we have a drug problem with our employees,? she said.
A preliminary exam for Fisher is set for Sept. 30 at Waterford’s 51st District Court.