The fire chief of the Saratoga Springs Fire Department has earned over $358,000 in compensation since 2023 – despite being off the job since February 2023.

Joseph Dolan was placed on administrative leave that month amid allegations that he was double dipping. The city brought 16 misconduct charges against him.

Among the allegations are that Dolan spent four days from Oct. 24 to Oct. 27, 2022 participating in training at the New York State Academy of Fire Science in Schuyler County –  3 ½ hours away – while still on the clock. He was still getting paid as fire chief and not using vacation or personal time, according to the misconduct complaint. Dolan had also attended training on Oct. 22-Oct. 23.

His attorney wrote that Dolan considered the training vital to his work, and he conducted department business via email and telephone.

Dolan also worked as an instructor for the Academy of Fire Science. He taught classes there on Feb. 18-19, 2020, and he was listed on the duty roster. Dolan said that he requested personal leave time for those days, and he was accidentally listed as being present.  

Dolan also provided training at the Saratoga County Fire Training Center on two dates in August 2020 as part of his employment as a training for the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, according to the misconduct complaint.  

He also provided training on eight dates in March 2021 and 11 dates in April 2021, according to the complaint.  Chief Dolan said one of those dates in March 2021, he conducted no training, and the other dates he did at the fire station for the benefit of Saratoga Springs.

Another allegation is that he used his city-owned vehicle for personal use and did not disclose his outside employment.

Neither State Police nor the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office elected to bring any criminal charges.

Dolan earned a base salary of $126,511.41 in the 2023 calendar year, according to a Freedom of Information Law request filed by NewsChannel 13. His total compensation increased to $160,550.22, when his vacation pay, vacation buyback, educational funds and other benefits were added.

In 2024, he earned a base salary of $137,829.86 and total compensation of $159,445.83, according to the documents.

Dolan is still getting paid. Through March 31 of this year, Dolan had total compensation of $38,024.72.

Dolan had filed a lawsuit in Saratoga Supreme Court last August on the grounds that has reputation had been tarnished with these allegations when they were made public, according to court documents. Nothing new has been filed since November.

NewsChannel 13 is learning that there was a hearing last month on the issue.

Assistant Chief Aaron Dyer is serving as interim acting fire chief.

Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll referred questions to Brian Kremer, who is the city’s labor attorney. Kremer did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment, and his voicemail box wasn’t accepting messages.

Dolan’s attorney, Brian Culnan, said he could not comment on the case.