Former Sheffield dispatcher alleges wrongful firing

A former Sheffield dispatcher alleged at Monday night's Village Council meeting that she was unjustly fired earlier in April. Jessica Radawiec was fired April 1 after being a dispatcher for the village for eight months. Radawiec alleged Monday that Mayor Bob Markovich fired her after she advocated for increased pay for the village's emergency personnel in the fire and police departments. "It was just pertaining to how these officers and firefighters, they're not getting paid enough money and they're leaving," Radawiec said moments after addressing Council. "With them leaving, it's hindering this community." Markovich declined to comment Monday. Radawiec also detailed Markovich's alleged conduct with her following her presentation on village employee pay. "He got very upset," Radawiec said. "Screamed at me. And then on April 1, he walked in and he didn't even explain. Didn't explain a thing, just said 'Jessica, you're fired.'" Radawiec said for her eight months with the village up until her termination, relationships with other employees and officials — including Markovich — had been fine. Radawiec urged Council members to investigate her termination. "I just want my job back," Radawiec said. "I mean, I love this job." After Radawiec finished her remarks to Council, a crowd — some dressed in police and fire uniforms and apparel — walked with her as she exited Council Chambers. Council member John Hunter said that Radawiec was currently still in a probationary period of employment at the time of her termination. "This young lady was hired full-time, but she's still a probationary employee," Hunter said. "And under probationary employees, she's an at-will employee. That means she's subject to working for the department head and under the control of the mayor to decide her employment during that probationary period." At the end of the regularly scheduled meeting, Sheffield officials, including Markovich, discussed the matter during an executive session. "We are going to discuss it," said Council Pro Tempore Robert Yarber Jr. as officials readied for the executive session. "We're certainly going to discuss the circumstances in which the individual was dismissed." Contact Garrett Looker at glooker@chroniclet.com.