Aspiring Fireman Passed Over For Job Takes Legal Action Against Troy Township Fire Commissioners

A man hoping to make it onto the Troy Township Fire Department has taken legal action against three fire commissioners and the applicant chosen ahead of him.

Randy Talaski filed a complaint for administrative review against Troy Fire Protection District Commissioners Gerry Gabrielson, Steve Schwartz and Denzil Smothers, and Firefighter Craig Bowden.

According to the filing, Talaski was sixth on a list of 27 eligible hires. The list was released April 6, 2012, and was to be good for two years, the complaint said.

Bowden was eighth on the list but Talaski was passed over in favor of him, the complaint said.

Fire commission secretary Stephanie Rosado sent Talaski a letter March 25—12 days before the list expired—notifying him that he was being passed over for someone farther down the list. The letter was included in the court file.

"This is to advise you that the Board of Fire Commissioners elected to select a candidate ranking below you but in the top five on the list due to its belief that the selected candidate would better serve the needs of the department," the letter said. "The basis of this was the other candidate's prior service to the District as a volunteer/part time employee and as a contract employee, in which he served in an exemplary capacity."

In his complaint, Talaski asks the commissioners to reverse the decision to pass him over, negate Bowden's appointment, and pay Talaski the "full salary, fringe benefits, and emoluments of the position of firefighter of the Troy Fire Protection District."

Messages left at the fire commission's listed number went unreturned. The commission's attorney, Thomas Gilbert, said he had yet to receive the complaint and could not comment until he did so.

Talaski's attorney, Thomas McGuire of Long Grove, failed to respond to a call for comment. A message left at a number listed for Talaski in Blue Island was not returned.

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