CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Clarksburg City Manager Tiffany Fell is facing an ethics complaint and a vote of no confidence from the city firefighters.
Director of Community Development & Grant Projects, Dr. Shana Nicholson filed a formal complaint against Fell with the West Virginia Ethics Commission accusing Fell of serious and repeated violations of ethics standards, misuse of public resources, conflicts of interest, harassment, falsification of official documents and unlawful retaliation.
Some of those allegations include Fell using her influence win employment for her family members and direct TIF funds to the employer in return and that she used her position to get free tuition at Salem University for her child and teaching opportunities for herself. The complaint said Fell did Salem University-related work and paid city workers overtime to complete her homework assignments.
The complaint said she exploited Nicholson’s professional credentials and network of connections for her own benefit as well.
Nicholson asks city councilors to place Fell on administrative leave immediately pending an independent investigation and seeks the recovery of city funds, used staff time, unauthorized overtime payments, city attorney fees and other losses.
Members of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 89 conducted a unanimous “no confidence” vote against Fell. The firefighters cite a flurry of legal action since Fell came to work for the city in June of 2023.
Last year, 44 firefighter union members filed a lawsuit alleging the city owes them millions due to incorrectly calculated overtime and one employee from the Public Works Department said he is still owed hundreds of hours in overtime and comp time.
Also this year, Fell was a finalist for the city manager position in Wichita Falls, Texas, but elected to remain in the city of Clarksburg.
The city issued the following response:
The City of Clarksburg was made aware of the purported vote of no confidence in City Manager Fell by the members of the Clarksburg Fire Department. The members of the Clarksburg Fire Department have accused the City of failing to pay proper wages, an allegation that the City denies. Although the City denies the allegations, the City recognizes the members’ rights to seek relief from the court system and the parties have been engaging in that litigation.
The vote of no confidence and the members’ attorney’s subsequent issuance of a press release is merely a stunt intended to curry public favor in support of their unsupported lawsuit. The City notes that although this vote purportedly took place on September 20, it was not made aware of it until the issuance of the press release.
The City has sought to support its firefighters, as evidenced by the approval of ordering millions of dollars’ worth of new equipment for them during Manager Fell’s tenure. The city looks forward to having the members set forth outside of a publicity stunt how the City can better support them.