In a bizarre case where Stanley Wajda accused certain members of the Hahnville Volunteer Fire Department of threatening him for exposing FEMA fund fraud, the former fire chief has fired back with a lawsuit seeking damages.
Wajda’s lawsuit, filed March 2 in the 29th Judicial District Court in St. Charles Parish, asserts the department’s “constructive discharge” of him resulted from his “disclosure of workplace acts that violate state statutes.”
On Thursday, Hahnville Fire Chief Jack Landry and Wajda’s attorney Christina Carroll both declined to comment about the case.
Wajda started with the department as a volunteer firefighter in 2002. According to the lawsuit, by Nov. 1, 2011, he resigned as assistant chief to Reginald Gaubert, stating in writing that his resignation was based on ethical issues. In 2012, he returned to the department as a volunteer and continued there until he was named fire chief on Jan. 3, 2014. After being there seven months as a paid fire chief, he said he resigned because of threats and harassment.
When he started as fire chief, Wajda states he “began an investigation into the misuse of FEMA payments and other improprieties by the former administration.” In March 2014, he states he disclosed the improprieties to a public body, as well as discussed them with the former administration at the fire department.He maintains in the lawsuit that individuals loyal to the former administration, including the former chief’s daughter and son-in-law, Dawn Landry and Jack Landry, began to harass and intimidate him to force him to resign. In one example, Wajda claimed to have received a threatening note on his truck, stating, “Stanley. You need to leave my family alone. Or else!!!!!” Dawn Landry did not respond to email requests for comment by press time Thursday.Additionally, Wajda asserts photos of him and his family entering a local restaurant were sent to Christopher Boros, fire department president, “reflecting surveillance of Wajda.” In a recorded conversation, he maintains Dawn Landry asked him why he was “going after” her father.Boros declined to comment on Friday.
By June 2014, Wajda alleges he was “constructively discharged” or forced to quit by the department, which he maintains occurred because of “disclosure of workplace acts that violate state law.”
According to media reports, months of bickering in the department over allegations of mismanaged funds gave way to one unanimous agreement – to request a forensic legislative audit be done during former Fire Chief Reginald Gaubert’s administration.
But the department’s FEMA problems had already surfaced the year prior when a state legislative auditor demanded the return of $71,412 in FEMA grant money, citing inadequate time sheets for emergency pay to firefighters for recovery work after Hurricane Katrina.
Gaubert became the department’s first paid administrator in 2003 and then became its first paid fire chief. He took the position despite the Louisiana Board of Ethics advising him not to do so because his daughter, Dawn Landry, had been serving as department treasurer, who was handling the department’s financial affairs. Gaubert was forced to resign in 2005 when the Board of Ethics discovered the move and fined him $2,000, which the department paid. Two years later, with Landry still as treasurer, Gaubert returned to the position and was again paid. By late 2013, Gaubert resigned amid rumors that the Board of Ethics might again be investigating him for the same ethics violation.Wajda was hired as his replacement by late December of that year.
In his first month on the job, Wajda maintained he received a call from the FBI “inquiring about fraud, wire fraud and misappropriation of funds.” But he said the FBI dropped the investigation because the statute of limitations had lapsed.Shortly after the fire department was asked to provide legal counsel to Gaubert and other members of the department in connection with an ongoing investigation by the Louisiana Board of Ethics, Wajda said the threats started.
Subpoenas had been served to Gaubert and other department members, resulting in Gaubert asking the department to cover their legal defense fees. Although details of the investigation are unknown, it is known the ethics investigation shortly followed the demand for repayment of FEMA funds and was the second investigation related to Gaubert’s time as fire chief.
Additionally, a records request by the St. Charles Herald-Guide at the time revealed a nearly $7,000 discrepancy between the amount requested for FEMA pay and what was paid firefighters. Wajda, then fire chief, confirmed the difference and said he did not know what happened to those funds.
On May 8, Wajda received a second threatening letter, which he reported to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office. Spokesman Sgt. Dwayne LaGrange confirmed the matter was under investigation.
By July 1, 2014, Wajda stepped down as chief, citing threats and intimidation from members he maintained were loyal to Gaubert.
However, he remained as a volunteer with the department.
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