Hamel Community Fire Protection District
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS - A paramedic who recently resigned from the fire department in the small town of Hamel has sued the fire protection district that formerly employed him, saying leadership there essentially hounded him until he resigned in retaliation for reporting alleged "illegal secret closed session" board meetings to the state.
On Nov. 21, plaintiff Jason Pugh, of Collinsville, filed a lawsuit against the Hamel Community Fire Protection District in Madison County Circuit Court.
The complaint accuses the Hamel FPD of allegedly violating both a state whistleblower protection law and a state law governing local government ethics.
The complaint accuses Hamel fire district officials of allegedly illegally retaliating against Pugh after he allegedly reported governmental misconduct to the Illinois Attorney General's Office.
According to the complaint, Pugh had worked as a paramedic in the Hamel department since 2017.
However, in 2024, Pugh claimed he became the target of retaliatory actions by Hamel leadership.
In the complaint, Pugh asserts one of his former paramedic colleagues was allegedly fired illegally by the Hamel FPD Board of Trustees during an allegedly illegal closed door meeting, allegedly in violation of Illinois state law governing governmental meetings.
According to the complaint, the other paramedic was allegedly targeted for termination after the other paramedic and Pugh were allegedly falsely accused of abandoning an "emergency run." The complaint asserts that ambulance call had been canceled, not abandoned.
According to the complaint, the Hamel district board's action was later reversed, and the Hamel district was "ordered to allow" the other paramedic "to return to work," with back pay.
However, according to the complaint, the alleged illegal termination and closed session meeting was initially exposed by Pugh, who notified the Attorney General of the alleged violations.
While the district was required to restore the other paramedic, Pugh, in his complaint, claims he was then targeted for retaliation by district leadership.
The complaint asserts district officials allegedly forced Pugh to work in a "hostile work environment;" subjected Pugh to criticism both "privately and publicly;" denied Pugh a promotion "when it was determined (he) was the most qualified applicant for the open position;" and "forced (Pugh) to perform functions that coworkers were not required to do."
According to the complaint, Pugh reported what he believed to be "multiple violations" of state law to his direct supervisors and to the Attorney General's office.
"The harassment and hostile work environment by Defendant (the Hamel district) ultimately culminated in Plaintiff (Pugh) feeling forced to resign to mitigate his mental anguish and stress damages," Pugh wrote in his complaint.
Pugh is seeking an order forcing the district to pay him unspecified damages, including compensatory damages of more than $50,000, plus punitive damages and attorney fees.
Pugh is represented in the action by attorneys Brian M. Wendler, Angie Zinzilieta and Dylan M. Jerrell, of the firm of Wendler & Zinzilieta, of Marysville.
The Hamel Community Fire Protection District covers about 3,500 people in a 50-square-mile area centered on the community of Hamel, in northeastern Madison County.
