Editor’s Note: The print version of the Standard Press went to press before the City of Burlington responded to an open records request for the six names. They are included in this online version.
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
City of Burlington Administrator Carina Walters confirmed Tuesday the city has narrowed the field for the next fire chief from six to one – but would not reveal the name of the top candidate.
“The Police and Fire Commission have chosen to work with one finalist,” Walters wrote in a text Tuesday afternoon. “Given the nature of the process, I am unable to publicly disclose this.”
In past hirings, the City of Burlington has declined to give out the name immediately, due to various screening procedures the job candidate needs to clear before being hired.
According to state open records law, the city in this instance should not have been able to go from the six applicants it had last week to the final candidate without disclosing any names to the public.
Responding to an open records request made Wednesday, the city released the six applicants: Brian Zwiebel, Scott Kugel, Brian Harbison, Ed Umnus and Allan Babe. Zwiebel is currently chief of the Burlington Rescue Squad and Umnus is chief of the Town of Burlington Fire Department.
The city declined to announce the six applicants two weeks ago. The newspaper has also filed a request for the name of the current finalist.
The city has 10 days in which to respond to the request. It is possible in that time the hiring process could be concluded. The two-day assessment center for the six candidates was concluded last week.
The fire chief position has been a point of contention for the last two years, as the departing chief, Perry Howard, was at the center of personality clashes between his department, other departments and the Burlington Area Rescue Squad. A number of fire department personnel quit, and Howard’s pending resignation was made public shortly before Christmas.
Howard was originally hired as the city’s first full-time fire chief to implement changes brought to the rescue squad and city and town of Burlington fire departments through a cooperative study done by McGrath – a study designed to create a better sharing of resources between the three departments.
Howard’s final day is slated for mid-June. The issues with Howard were among those raised in April’s mayoral election, which was won by former mayor and current rescue squad member Jeannie Hefty.
Hefty said prior to the election that healing between the fire department and the rescue squad had already begun, and she hoped to see that continue.
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What a great story? Please explain in more detail the records request you submitted?! Never have a read a story explaining why they don’t have anything to report! Why not just wait until someone has been announced, oh that’s right this paper has nothing else to report on except for this.
The fire chief has been a point of contention in one paragraph and then the next paragraph discusses the study that all three departments agreed to and had a say in the selection of the firm that did the study. This study was done prior the new chief and outlined numerous items that need to be changed. Read the report, your life may be at stake. The chief follows the study that all three paid thousand of dollars to be conducted and all of a sudden the fire chief is a point of contention. Are you serious!!!!
Don’t pay thousands of tax pay dollars to find out that your fire and rescue model dates back to the 1980s, then hire someone to make change and it call it a point of contention. Read the study!!!!
I love this city but this type of double talk is sad! Why do we need a full time fire chief, when we really need a full time rescue chief. A majority of the calls are for medical emergencies, not for fires. Citizens, do you want to save a human life or save a basement. Oh but wait God for bid we have someone from fire respond to a rescue call because Timmy’s feelings might be hurt!!
You are hiring and paying for someone that really can not do their job. There are no fires, there are a 100 times more rescue calls. But let’s a full time fire chief that has no control over rescue calls. We certainly know this Mayor won’t let the fire chief handle rescue after all that is why she was elected to make sure the rescue squad is not taken over by the city!! Our lives are at stake this has to stop!! Hire a chief that does both and ultimate will save lives!! That is what matters right!!!
Paul W. You are spot on with one exception. The consultant described the model that was being used prior to the new Chief’s arrival as operating at a 1950’s model. That’s how far behind the fire and rescue services are and the former mayor didn’t want to touch it and the current mayor wants to leave it the way it is…to protect her interest, the rotary funded rescue squad and the current level of service.