The audit, which cost the fire district about $30,000, was the first phase of a larger effort between the fire board and the firefighters' union to investigate and address structural and managerial problems some have long alleged exist within the department.
Renee Mayne of Labor Management Success conducted the audit and presented her findings at a district board meeting Sept. 21.
 Jim Asche |
Mayne declined comment about the audit.
The audit, which took about three weeks to complete, was conducted through a series of interviews with all fire district employees, as well as a written survey.
On the survey, employees were asked how they would rate leadership skills of the management team, how they would describe the quality of communication in the district, how they would rate employee accountability, and the strengths of the organization.
During her presentation Mayne said that many employees expressed that they were working excessive overtime hours as a result of an understaffed district. Some employees expressed frustration with what they considered a lack of accountability and inconsistent disciplinary measures.
The audit also found that employees considered the fire board unresponsive to concerns and blindly supportive of the management team.
Longtime critics said the findings were not a surprise.
"There's nothing new there as far as problems," said Brent Smith, a firefighter. Smith sued the district in 2002 claiming he was wrongly accused of harassing his fellow firefighters over union issues. Smith eventually settled the suit for $150,000.
"(These are) all the same issues, none of which had been addressed in the past four years," Smith said. "Her recommendations are exactly what this department needs," said Smith. "We've lost so many good guys. We just need to keep people here with experience."
Fire officials countered that the audit was one-sided because it failed to incorporate the views of management.
"What I found somewhat disturbing was that it was a very one-sided report," said Fire Chief Jim Asche, who is retiring at the end of the year. "There were quotes from individual firefighters but no mention of managers ... I was very, very disappointed in that respect."
To address problems disclosed in the audit, Mayne recommended that the district hire an interim fire chief to assist in working out structural and management problems before a consolidated fire board selects a permanent fire chief.
"If we could get a retired chief, this person has no political affiliation," said Smith. "He doesn't have to make any back-door political promises to people and he's going to leave."
Mayne stated in the audit that no internal candidates could effectively lead the organization - a conclusion that further divided district employees.
"I can't believe she couldn't come up with anything positive about my managers," said Asche. "She has devastated my management team."
Other recommendations included hiring a fire chief with a three-year contract, hiring managers from within the department, establishing a human resources component within the district, and diversifying the organization with women and minorities.
The next steps remain to be determined. Fire board members plan to discuss the audit in future closed session meetings. Some said that they will seriously consider the recommendations in future meetings.
"Some things have come to light," said Jerry Donovan, fire board president. "We'll be able to make adjustments and correct the inefficiencies highlighted by the investigation."
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