Two Carroll firefighters groups have issued votes of "no confidence" in the job performance of the county's director of public safety.

The Carroll County Fire Chiefs Association and the Carroll County Volunteer Firemen's Association took their actions to show their dissatisfaction with the pace of at least two important projects and with what they say is a lack of communication between the firefighters and public safety director Howard S. "Buddy" Redman.

"This has been the culmination of many years of a lack of cooperation on his part toward us, failure to work with us and communicate with us, and keep us involved in the process of running emergency services in the county," said Jeffrey Alexander, president of the Carroll County Fire Chiefs Association.

"I've always been willing to meet with them. I go to their monthly meetings. We go to the commissioners meetings quarterly," Redman said. "I've been there for 20 years and always been willing to work with them. There's not a lot you can do if they don't come to you."

The fire chiefs representatives' vote against Redman two weeks ago was unanimous, Alexander said. He then asked the firemen's association to take a similar vote. The result of that vote, taken a week ago, was 12 for no confidence and two abstentions.

When told of the complaints, Redman said they were unfounded. He said he has done his job and has tried to keep the firefighters up to date with what he's doing.

Alexander said the firefighters associations plan to take their complaints to the newly elected board of commissioners, who take office next month.