A separation agreement shows Fort Worth will pay outgoing Chief Jim Davis nearly $100K as he drops potential claims, including age discrimination and whistleblower allegations

By Harrison Mantas
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

FORT WORTH, Texas — Soon-to-be former Fort Worth fire Chief Jim Davis had some complaints about his time as a city of Fort Worth employee, according to a separation agreement shared with the Star-Telegram.

Rather than hash out those claims in court, the city agreed to pay Davis $99,999.00 and Davis agreed to drop all claims against the city, according to the agreement.

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The specifics weren’t immediately available, but they include dropping claims against the city under laws covering age discrimination, the Americans with Disabilities Act, family and medical leave, the Texas Labor Code and the Texas Whistleblower Act, according to the agreement.

The Star-Telegram filed a records request seeking emails between Davis’s lawyer, Stephen Kennedy, and city officials in an attempt to get more context surrounding Davis’s claims.

“I can confirm Kennedy Law represented Chief Davis with respect to the claims that are the subject of the settlement agreement. We have no further comment at this time,” Kennedy said in response to an email from the Star-Telegram.

Davis has been on paid administrative leave since Sept. 22, which city officials said was due to a “personnel matter” without giving any details.

The agreement states an outside law firm was hired to investigate the personnel matter and that the investigation has since concluded, but doesn’t offer any other details.

Representatives for the city did not immediately respond to an email from the Star-Telegram seeking information about the investigation.

Davis signed the agreement on Oct. 17 along with City Manager Jay Chapa, Assistant City Manager William Johnson, and Assistant City Attorney Laetitia Coleman Brown. The city announced his resignation the same day.

Davis will stay on paid leave until Oct. 31, after which point he’ll no longer be a city employee, according to the agreement.

“We appreciate Chief Davis’ years of dedicated service to the city and wish him well in his future endeavors,” Mayor Mattie Parker said in the statement announcing Davis’s resignation.

The city council voted unanimously to approve appointing Assistant Chief Raymond Hill as interim fire chief at its Oct. 28 meeting.

Davis began his service as Fort Worth’s fire chief in October 2018. Before his time in Fort Worth, he served in Columbus, Ohio, training firefighters and paramedics.

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