MD City Sues Breakaway Volunteer Firefighters

Salisbury officials have filed a lawsuit against a group of volunteer firefighters who broke with the city's volunteer fire department, seeking a halt to the spending of taxpayer and charitable funds along with the return of property and improperly spent money.

Delmarva Now reports that the issue began in February when 11 firefighters with Salisbury Company 1 decided to start a new fire station and gain their own coverage territory.

That fire company has since been renamed Salisbury Independent Volunteer Fire Company Station 13, but the city and a charitable fund that gives money to the Salisbury Fire Department have questions about whether the new company has obtained nonprofit status and recognition from local government.

The city is asking that a temporary restraining order be granted by the court to prohibit the former members of Company 1 from spending any public funds distributed by Wicomico County. The city is also demanding that the firefighters produce an accounting of any spent funds from public or charitable sources and that an independent auditor be appointed to review records.

The lawsuit also seeks the return of personal property, vehicles, apparatus and equipment.

The firefighters named in the suit are Chief Cory Polidore, William Elliot, Charles Foskey, Eric Foskey, Justin Elliot, Kenneth Vickers, David Marquez, Terry Jones, Gerald Beauchamp, Brent Franklin II and Wilson Cohey.