By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
LAMBERTVILLE — The Board of Fire Commissioners reinstated a firefighter to active duty Monday less than a week after the fire chief suspended him for allegedly downloading pornography to a firehouse computer and ignoring his duties as secretary, putting the department at risk of losing grant funding.
Fireman Kenneth Williamson of Swan Street was suspended last week for the second time this year. Last week, just hours after the board reinstated Mr. Williamson after his first suspension in the wake of a sex charge, Fire Chief Lester Myers Jr. suspended him again on the new departmental charges.
But, despite Chief Myers suspension of Mr. Williamson, the board reinstated Mr. Williamson to active duty Monday with only a period of probation. They also ruled he can never hold an officer’s position again.
Mr. Williamson faced a departmental charge of personal use of Fire Department equipment. He also was charged with nonperformance of duties, according to Board of Fire Commissioners Business Administrator Mary Elizabeth Sheppard.
As secretary of the Fire Department, Mr. Williamson was paid $599 a year to maintain personnel records and reports for the National Fire Incident Reporting System, but he failed to do so for at least two years, according to the charges.
Failure to comply could have cost the Fire Department a $1,400 state grant, Ms. Sheppard said, although the department recently received this year’s grant.
Chief Myers stepped in to catch up on the paperwork for 2007 and is working his way through 2008, according to Ms. Sheppard.
The department also could have faced a fine of an undetermined amount, although “the state is very good about not fining,” Ms. Shepard said. “They’ll give you extra time to put it all together.”
”I just think the public needs to know taxpayers paid for him to do this work,” said Douglas White, a fourth-generation firefighter from South Jersey who has been with the Lambertville department for six years. He has been off active duty since 2006 when he was injured while battling a fire.
”Do we really still want this guy involved with the Lambertville Fire Department?” Mr. White said. “He needs to realize and basically step up and say, ‘Firefighting’s not for me.’ I think he’s got a mental problem.”
Mr. White said the department “took off so much pornography” from the fire company’s computer. He said the department knew Mr. Williamson was responsible “because it was downloaded at the firehouse and forwarded to his house.”
Mr. Williamson, a 13-year member of the department, maintains the department’s Web site.
The commissioners reinstated Mr. Williamson last week after a six-month suspension following his April arrest by Raritan Township police on sex charges. Hours later, Mr. Myers levied the departmental charges, and Mr. Williamson was back on suspension.
In April, the 51-year-old firefighter had been charged with criminal sexual contact fourth-degree, lewdness, serving alcohol to an underage person and invasion of privacy following an incident at a motel. A 19-year-old woman said he had inappropriately touched her.
Mr. Myers and commission Chairman Robert Brown declined to comment.
Police Director Bruce Cocuzza said city police are not involved.
Mr. White said the commissioners reinstated Mr. Williamson after he had completed a pretrial intervention program.
The Beacon was unsuccessful in its efforts to reach Mr. Williamson.

