ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — A St. Lucie County Fire District board member is calling on Fire Chief Jeff Lee to resign after firefighters delivered an overwhelming vote of no confidence in district leadership, the latest fallout from a hazing investigation that led to the firing of three veteran firefighters.
More than 74% of firefighters who participated in the union vote said they had no confidence in Lee. About 92% said they had no confidence in Assistant Chief Brian Gonzalez, while 97% said the same of district attorney Kim Sabol.
WATCH BELOW: St. Lucie County fire chief faces calls to resign after no-confidence vote
"I think it's a wake-up call," Fire Board member and St. Lucie County Commissioner James Clasby told WPTV Investigates. "They've sent their message, and now it's, again, up for the board to take action."
When investigative reporter Kate Hussey asked whether he believed that action should include Lee's resignation, Clasby said yes.
"I don't know how you could possibly recover from getting such an overwhelming vote of no confidence," he said.
Vote follows hazing investigation
The vote is the latest fallout from an investigation earlier this year into videos involving firefighters at Station 1A.
A third-party investigator concluded the videos depicted hazing. One showed firefighters using a modified bug zapper to shock probationary employees.
Veteran firefighters Doug Boudrias, Jordan Hutchinson and Chris Baldwin were fired following the investigation.
The three have maintained the activity was consensual and "all in good fun."
"It was just us in our downtime, joking around, having fun," Hutchinson previously told WPTV.
"We're all still friends," Boudrias said.
Their terminations sparked pushback from firefighters and members of the community, which eventually led to the union's no-confidence vote.
"The amount that voted no confidence really sends a message that we have, in their opinion, a lack of confidence in their leadership," union representative Ryan Sapp said.
Sapp is representing the three firefighters in their fight for reinstatement. With previous settlement offers now off the table, Sapp said he recently met with Lee and district leadership to ask how they planned to respond to the vote.
"His response was that he doesn't feel a change in leadership would change the confidence issue or the morale," Sapp said.
Leadership changes already underway
The vote comes as the district is already undergoing changes in leadership.
Sabol has submitted notice of her retirement, effective in December.
Meanwhile, a reassignment notice obtained by WPTV Investigates shows Gonzalez is being moved from assistant chief to battalion chief.
Clasby questioned the decision, particularly given the no-confidence vote against Gonzalez.
"I have lots of questions about why this move happened, why you would move somebody that received over 90% no confidence into a training position that will now train everybody in the district," Clasby said.
The district told WPTV that Gonzalez and Lee agreed the reassignment was in the district's best interest and said the move had been under discussion "for some time prior to recent events."
In a statement, the district said it "recognizes" the results of the no-confidence vote and the importance of listening to its personnel.
The district said it remains committed to addressing workplace concerns and taking "appropriate action" to protect the safety, well-being and trust of its firefighters.
Sapp said rebuilding that trust could prove difficult.
"I think it's hard whenever you see those staggering numbers, that lack confidence in leadership, to rebound it back," he said.
The Fire Board is also weighing whether it has the authority to reinstate Boudrias, Hutchinson and Baldwin while working to overhaul how complaints against district leadership are handled.
That work is expected to continue at the board's Oct. 21 meeting.
Sapp said their last settlement offer, an offer to reinstate the three firefighters with a three-shift suspension, was not accepted.
"I do want to say, this is a great department," Sapp added. We have great men and women that work here. In light of all this bad publicity we've had, I promise you these members, these employees that I have, they genuinely enjoy serving this community and do the absolute best they can do."
The District's full statement reads below:
The St. Lucie County Fire District recognizes the recent vote of no confidence and acknowledges the importance of listening to the concerns expressed by our personnel.
Over the last several years, District leadership has remained committed to supporting the men and women who serve our community through meaningful investments in compensation, staffing, employee benefits, facilities, and operational resources.
During the 2023–2026 period, these efforts included approximately 19% average pay-plan growth, an increase of approximately 100 uniformed personnel, and improved minimum engine staffing from two to three firefighters.
The District also expanded employee benefits, increased retirement-health contributions, and invested in additional training opportunities, equipment, and facilities to better support personnel in carrying out their responsibilities.
Recognizing the importance of employee mental health and wellness, the District has also taken meaningful steps to improve work-life balance and provide additional support.
These initiatives include the implementation of mental health days, reducing the average workweek from 48 to 44 hours, and establishing a K9 Therapy Program to provide emotional and mental health support to our personnel.
While these initiatives represent meaningful progress, we recognize that employee well-being extends beyond compensation, time off, and available resources. It also requires a workplace culture built on mutual respect, accountability, open communication, and trust. Concerns involving workplace conduct, including bullying and other behaviors that negatively affect our personnel, must be taken seriously, openly discussed through appropriate channels, and addressed.
Our commitment moving forward is to continue listening to our personnel, identifying areas for improvement, and developing actionable solutions that support both their professional and personal well-being. Meaningful progress requires ongoing communication, accountability, and a willingness to address challenges together.
The Fire Chief’s mission remains centered on supporting the men and women of the St. Lucie County Fire District, ensuring they have the resources, leadership, and workplace environment necessary to perform their duties and serve our community to the best of their abilities.
