The Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) will pay its former fire chief, Justin Vincent, $200,000 to settle a lawsuit over his 2023 firing.
“The board approved a settlement agreement to resolve the case without admitting liability,” district legal counsel Tim Carmel said during a Dec. 29 board meeting. “Under the agreement, the district’s insurer, the special district’s risk management authority, will pay the plaintiff $150,000 and plaintiff’s attorneys $50,000.”
Carmel noted that as part of the agreement, termination documents and related statements will be removed from Vincent’s personnel file, and the district will accept an after-the-fact letter of resignation.
Vincent was hired as Cambria fire chief in December 2022 under a five-year contract. Less than a year later, in October 2023, he was fired. At the time, CCSD General Manager Matthew McElhenie issued a press release that said Vincent had been let go following “the general manager’s comprehensive review and careful consideration” but did not elaborate, citing employee termination laws.
“The separation results from a detailed examination and investigation of Fire Department operations while ensuring respect and confidentiality and following relevant laws and guidelines related to employee termination procedures and announcements,” McElhenie said in the same press release.
The district hasn’t publicly disclosed what that review found or what ultimately led to the termination.
New Times contacted McElhenie, but he declined to comment.
Vincent filed his lawsuit in January 2024. In the 40-page complaint, he alleged retaliation, racism, sexual harassment, violations of labor and government codes, and denial of due process. He noted that he was “the only African American employee of CCSD” at the time and “the first African American to be hired as a fire chief in the county of San Luis Obispo.”
“As a proximate result of defendant CCSD’s breach of the employment agreement, plaintiff has been substantially harmed,” the complaint reads. “Plaintiff has suffered and continues to suffer losses in earning and other benefits.”
The lawsuit detailed a grievance Vincent filed in April 2023, with then General Manager Ray Dienzo. Vincent alleged that Haley Dodson, the district’s administrative assistant and head of human resources, had created a hostile work environment through repeated sexually inappropriate behavior.
“Plaintiff began to regularly observe Dodson engage in severe or pervasive sexual harassment, including but not limited to lewd and sexually offensive comments and jokes,” the complaint states.
Vincent alleged that Dodson made sexually charged remarks about firefighters’ bodies, sent unwanted sexually explicit messages to at least one firefighter, and made sexual comments during a Cambria CSD board meeting. Vincent alleged that multiple firefighters reportedly raised similar concerns with Vincent but were afraid to file formal complaints because Dodson oversaw human resources.
The complaint also alleged that retaliation followed the grievance, though the lawsuit did not specify every act in detail. Court documents show Vincent claimed that he was “belittle[d] and disrespect[ed] … by refusing to call him by his rank and referring to him only by his first name” and that his communications with management were ignored.
Cambria isn’t the only public agency that faced litigation from Vincent. In 2017, he sued California City after his employment contract was terminated during his probationary period. In that lawsuit, Vincent alleged retaliation for pushing stricter enforcement of marijuana-related fire codes and for raising concerns about city leadership.
A judge dismissed the California City case in 2019, citing contradictions in Vincent’s testimony and “undisputed evidence” presented by the city.
The court found that he failed “to identify evidence that establishes essential elements of his claims for retaliation, discrimination, and the Firefighter’s Bill of Rights.”
“Because there are no genuine issues of material fact related to plaintiff’s claims, summary judgment is appropriate,” the judgement states.
According to the court, California City officials cited a pattern of conduct during Vincent’s tenure, including workplace disruptions, spreading unsubstantiated rumors about city officials, and incidents that raised concerns about judgement and professionalism.
Vincent denied wrongdoing and testified that he was fired without due process.
After California City, Vincent later served as fire chief in Suisun City. Public records show that by early 2022, he no longer held that position.
In New Times reporting from 2022, then Cambria CSD General Manager John Weigold said the district could not disclose information about Vincent’s employment history due to confidentiality laws. McElhenie has said he was not involved in Vincent’s hiring.
Since Vincent filed his lawsuit, the Cambria CSD board has discussed the case multiple times in closed session. In a March 2024 letter to the community, McElhenie acknowledged the litigation without naming it directly.
“Accusations, whether founded or unfounded, can cast a shadow over the reputation and integrity we’ve built as a community,” he wrote. “However, in moments like these, we must remember our shared values, our common goals, and unwavering belief in the principles that bind us together.”
Cambria resident Scott McCann posted a comment on Nextdoor reflecting on Vincent’s past legal disputes with employers. “A review of the court documents … reveal an uncanny and eerie similarity to the facts and claims … in the case against the CCSD.”
Another resident, John Russo, weighed in, “Remember this is a small town. The fire chief called out the harassment taking place by an admin employee.”
Head of human resources Dodson didn’t respond to New Times’ request for comment before publication. ∆
Reach Staff Writer Chloë Hodge at chodge@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Jan 22-29, 2026.