Mount Vernon — New Mount Vernon Firefighters Union President Henry-George Thomas, who replaced Ernest Richardson as the union leader of Local 107 on Jan. 1, resigned from the job and the department a week later. The older brother of Mayor Richard W. Thomas, Henry-George, plead guilty last week to federal gun trafficking charges.
“It’s a serious matter before the court,” Mayor Thomas shares BW over the phone, Monday night. “When Commissioner Kelly made me aware of the situation, I instructed him to take immediate action.”
Ernest Richardson, the former Local 107 President, was sworn in Monday morning as Deputy Fire Commissioner in the City Council Chambers, after a monthly commissioners meeting. At the swearing-in, the now former union head, wouldn’t comment on the resignation of his successor.
In a statement, new Public Safety Commissioner, Robert Kelly, echoed Thomas comments to BW, “As soon as the mayor became aware of these charges, he directed me to take whatever actions I needed to under the city’s charter. Before we could act, the firefighter in question resigned.”
According to the indictment, Thomas started importing guns from out of the country in 2010 and continued doing so until 2015. Thomas is currently out on bail and awaiting sentencing.
When asked for further details Mayor Thomas simply said, “It’s a personnel matter” and referred me back to Commissioner of Public Safety as it relates to his department.
Public Safety Commissioner Robert “Bob” Kelly, who now heads the Police, Fire and EMS Departments was sworn in, Friday morning in the theater at the Dole Center (250 South Sixth Avenue), along with thirteen new probationary police officers.
