4-23-04 - The fate of Van Alstyne fire chief Robert Lewis has been put on hold. After four hours in executive session, the city council did not take action concerning sexual harassment. For now Lewis will remain on paid suspension.

Interim city manager Olen Petty says they did not have enough information to make a decision on Lewis's employment. He says they want to investigate the sexual harassment claim in more detail and review the videotapes of interviews they watched tonight, and possibly conduct more interviews with other firefighters.

The city council will call another special meeting sometime within the next seven to ten days to determine Lewis' employment. If he is terminated, a dozen firefighters have threatened they will leave as well.

Lewis had been accused last week by a female employee of some form of sexual harassment.