LIBERTY — A report determining what, if any, disciplinary action is recommended for a Liberty fire captain already demoted following an investigation into an alleged fire station drug ring is expected in about 10 days.

A 90-minute predisciplinary hearing for Liberty fire Capt. Cathy Macchione was held Monday morning at the township Administration Building.

At issue is whether Macchione, formerly an inspector, will be further demoted to firefighter with the inability to be promoted for two years, plus serve a five-day unpaid suspension.

“I have 10 days from today to write the report. I expect it’ll take me the majority of that time,” hearing officer Doug Theobald said.

Theobald, Newton Falls Joint Fire District chief, was selected as hearing officer after the fire union objected to the township’s plans last week to have township Administrator Martha Weirick fill that role.

“The contract states that there needed to be a neutral fire administrator at the hearing, and the township used their administrator originally,” Liberty Township Professional Firefighters Association Local 2075 President Michael Wright said Monday.

“We just wanted to follow the contract. We wanted someone completely unrelated to the situation. Chief Theobald is in no way affiliated with the union,” Wright said.

In attendance at Monday’s hearing — rescheduled from June 8 — were Theobald, Wright, Weirick and Macchione, along with Local 2075 attorney Ryan Lemmerback and Local 2075 Vice President Ronald Simone.

Macchione was accused of knowing that firefighters were illicitly using and trading prescription drugs within the fire department without reporting it, according to an internal investigation report, hearing notice and list of charges provided to the newspaper by Liberty Township Law Director Cherry L. Poteet.

The investigation was initiated April 14 by interim police Chief Toby Meloro and handled by Capt. Ray Buhala, Detective Sgt. Mike Shuster and Detective G.T. Bednar, following the April 12 death of Liberty firefighter / paramedic John Beard.

According to documents compiled after the police investigation, Lt. Josh Cleland, Lt. Justin Graham and Capt. Chris Olson were found to be in violation of several Liberty Township Fire Department policies and Ohio laws. They were discharged from their positions.

Trustees in May accepted the immediate resignations of the two lieutenants, and a retirement and separation agreement with Olson.

According to documents from the internal investigation, investigators found that Beard and Macchione exchanged texts regarding her prescription for Klonopin. The documents also show her exchanging texts with Lt. Justin Graham.

Klonopin often is prescribed to ease anxiety and withdrawal symptoms from alcohol and other addictive substances.

Macchione, according to the list of charges, was found to be in violation of the Liberty Township Fire Department Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace Policy, the conformance to law policy and the safety policy. They allege she committed malfeasance by providing her prescription medication Klonopin to another firefighter and committed nonfeasance by failing to report to the fire chief the trading and abuse of prescription medication among firefighters.