Commissioners fire Harry Williamson from head 911 job, Tim Carrion also out as JFS director

ELYRIA — With only seven months on the job, Lorain County Job & Family Services Director Tim Carrion and Lorain County 911 Director Harry Williamson were fired by county commissioners Tuesday. The vote was 2-0, with commissioners David Moore and Matt Lundy voting to remove the two directors from their jobs, effective immediately. Commissioner Michelle Hung abstained from the vote to approve the personnel moves, which came after a more than three-and-a-half hour closed door executive session following the commission's regular weekly meeting. No public reason was given for the firings, though Carrion was working under a "last chance" agreement with his employers that was created in May after three female members of his staff reported he hugged them inappropriately in the office. Williamson's personnel file, recently reviewed by The Chronicle-Telegram, showed no disciplinary matters on his record. County Administrator Tom Williams will be seeking interim directors to replace the men, Moore said Tuesday. Asked why she abstained from the vote to fire Carrion and Williamson, Hung gave the following quote to The Chronicle-Telegram: "During transition leading up to our start on Jan. 4, Dave Moore and Tom Williams repeatedly referred to our first day as, quote, 'Bloody Monday,'" she said. "The reason I abstained is because I could not participate or have my hands in another bloodbath." Hung was referencing Monday, Jan. 4, this year, when she and Moore had their first meeting as elected commissioners. At that meeting, the new commissioners made a number of personnel moves. They hired Williams, and installed Carrion and Williamson as the new directors of their respective departments. They also fired JFS director Barb Tamas and IT Director Cameron MacDonald, while Facilities Director Karen Perkins and Community Development Director Don Romancak both were demoted and replaced. In response to Hung's allegation, Williams denied using the term "Bloody Monday" to describe Jan. 4. Moore called Hung's explanation into question. "I read Commissioners Lundy's quotes and the same concerns he has expressed, motivated my vote. Again Hung has changed her story yet again… I am not ethically permitted to disclose what happened in executive session. I am disappointed that commissioner Hung will not take responsibility for her actions." Regarding Williamson, Lundy said "an inappropriate workplace issue requires appropriate action to move in a new direction." He declined to answer further questions about the matter. Referring to Carrion, Lundy said commissioners "need to move in another direction to stabilize an important office in county government." He then declined further comment about Carrion as well. Following Tuesday's meeting, Moore said Williams was going to meet with staff at JFS and 911 about the changes in leadership. Moore said what was most important was that the public know there will be "a continuation of services" for JFS clients and 911 callers. Later Tuesday, Moore declined to comment further on the firings. Messages seeking comment were left for both Carrion and Williamson. Carrion was hired Jan. 4 at a rate of $52.88 an hour, or just under $106,000 a year. He also had been warned in writing after leaving an abusive voicemail for Commissioner Matt Lundy on Jan. 10 — after less than one week on the job. A 20-year veteran of the insurance and real estate business, Carrion also was a former candidate for Lorain mayor and has held positions on a number of local boards and agencies. Williamson is a former three-term president of the Lorain County AFL-CIO. When named director of Lorain County 911 in January, he was hired at a salary of $38.46 an hour, or just under $77,000 annually. Williamson previously was president of Communications Workers of America Local 4370 in Lorain, led the union's political action committee and was co-chairman of the Labor Day Family Celebration at Black River Landing for the last five years. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him at @daveobrienCT on Twitter.