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News & ArtsWednesday, May 20, 2009
City Fire Official Quits Over Ethics Scandal
Posted by Dominic Holden on Wed, May 20, 2009 at 6:29 PM
Mayor Greg Nickels reprimanded Fire Chief Gregory Dean today for failing to resolve ethics violations in his department. And a fire department lieutenant, who accepted free tickets and shirked duties, stepped down.
In March, the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission reported that Lt. Milton Footer bullied Key Arena staff into coughing up two all-access passes for himself and his fiancée for a Hannah Montana concert in 2007. In addition, Footer failed to forward a bill for nearly $195,000 for fire services at Qwest Field. A further review by the mayor's office found that Footer also received three free monthly parking passes at Qwest Field.
The mayor's office says it was able to recover about $122,000 of the $195,000 debt.
Footer, a 29-year veteran of the Seattle Fire Department, received an annual of salary of $98,532. His resignation was effective yesterday.
“I respect the mayor’s decision and fully understand his direction and accept his reprimand," Chief Dean said in a statement. "I should have recognized the full scope of the issues and taken immediate action to resolve them."
2
Hey this guy only cost us a couple hundred thousand, why fire him?
The SDOT guy cost us over a half mil and they gave him a promotion.
The SDOT guy cost us over a half mil and they gave him a promotion.
3
@2:
That's essentially the same rationalization all those banks and investment firms used for not firing the idiots who got us into our current financial mess: "we've invested too much money in these people to fire them - even if they did cost us tens of billions of dollars!"
Didn't buy it then, not buying it now. Incompetence and malfeasance should never be rewarded.
That's essentially the same rationalization all those banks and investment firms used for not firing the idiots who got us into our current financial mess: "we've invested too much money in these people to fire them - even if they did cost us tens of billions of dollars!"
Didn't buy it then, not buying it now. Incompetence and malfeasance should never be rewarded.
5
The headline is wrong.
It should read, "Fire Chief fails to monitor, loses $72,000; keeps his job."
It should read, "Fire Chief fails to monitor, loses $72,000; keeps his job."
7
Now contrast this with Nickels's response to Cheif Kerlikowske's inability to discipline his police officers when found guilty of wrongdoing by his own internal investigations unit.
10
How anyone can defend the indefensible Burgermeister Meisterburger and his corrupt circus is beyond me.
How anyone can defend the indefensible Burgermeister Meisterburger and his corrupt circus is beyond me.
11
You all think this is bad. You should go back to the documented failures at SFD that lead to, allowed the deaths of four firefighters in the Pang Warehouse fire in January 1995.
I watched Chief Claude Harris weep at the memorial service for the fallen four, and I couldn't help but think he was weeping for himself, at the failures he had to have known about. He not only kept his job, he retired with full benefits a year later.
I watched Chief Claude Harris weep at the memorial service for the fallen four, and I couldn't help but think he was weeping for himself, at the failures he had to have known about. He not only kept his job, he retired with full benefits a year later.
12
@11,
Ding ding ding!!!!!
Claude Harris should have been fired after the Pang Fire - regardless of his impending retirement and chummy relations with all of the right civic mucky-mucks (not least Norm Rice).
I know more than a few SFD firefighters and officers, and they all said (and still say) that Dean was up to his eyeballs in all of the institutional failures and cover-ups that led to and resulted from the deaths of Walt Kilgore, Randy Terwiliger, James Brown, and Greg Shoemaker.
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.c…
Dean should have been demoted in 1995, and should NEVER have been promoted to Chief. The failure to hold anyone accountable back then (and after the Blackstock Fire, for that matter) resulted in rather petty example of cronyism and corruption that has finally come to light..
Between Greg Dean and Grace Crunican one really has to wonder exactly what it takes to get fired in the Nickels Administration.
I guess it's up to us to fire Nickels.
Ding ding ding!!!!!
Claude Harris should have been fired after the Pang Fire - regardless of his impending retirement and chummy relations with all of the right civic mucky-mucks (not least Norm Rice).
I know more than a few SFD firefighters and officers, and they all said (and still say) that Dean was up to his eyeballs in all of the institutional failures and cover-ups that led to and resulted from the deaths of Walt Kilgore, Randy Terwiliger, James Brown, and Greg Shoemaker.
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.c…
Dean should have been demoted in 1995, and should NEVER have been promoted to Chief. The failure to hold anyone accountable back then (and after the Blackstock Fire, for that matter) resulted in rather petty example of cronyism and corruption that has finally come to light..
Between Greg Dean and Grace Crunican one really has to wonder exactly what it takes to get fired in the Nickels Administration.
I guess it's up to us to fire Nickels.
14
Off topic: Obama speech very fine, saying our foundational values are our most powerful foreign policy asset, they keep us safe, etc., we are the nation that shuts down torture chambers.... nice setting in national archives and he started by referring to Declaration, Constitution etc.
It's very odd how Slog was more fascinated with every campaign move, but actual governance, not so much.
"Too often ouir goverment made decision based on fear, not foresight...too often we set our principles aside...during this season fo fear too many of us democrats and republicans journalists politicans fell silent...we went off course...this assessment was shared by the american people who nominated candidates who called for new approach..who said to close guantanamo. we are indeed at war...we do need to update our institutions..but w abiding confidence in rule of law due process checks and balances and accountability.."
Ten minutes later laying it out, idea that terrorists will get out of our jails "is not rational." And in dignified manner blames GWB for the whole mess. Notes Bush policy let folks out who rejoined the battle....due to haphazard methods GWB used...his tone is also a bit more stern than usual, not angry, but clear and stern.
Bravo.
It's very odd how Slog was more fascinated with every campaign move, but actual governance, not so much.
"Too often ouir goverment made decision based on fear, not foresight...too often we set our principles aside...during this season fo fear too many of us democrats and republicans journalists politicans fell silent...we went off course...this assessment was shared by the american people who nominated candidates who called for new approach..who said to close guantanamo. we are indeed at war...we do need to update our institutions..but w abiding confidence in rule of law due process checks and balances and accountability.."
Ten minutes later laying it out, idea that terrorists will get out of our jails "is not rational." And in dignified manner blames GWB for the whole mess. Notes Bush policy let folks out who rejoined the battle....due to haphazard methods GWB used...his tone is also a bit more stern than usual, not angry, but clear and stern.
Bravo.
15
He's actually addressing fear techniques of the right. He is very good at explaining constitutional requirements in the foreign policy in clear and understandable language. He possibly could raise the whole game of everyone in the USA.
On a truth commission he says congress can do the job. "Courts can punish any violations of our laws." HE addresses the media culture and relitigation of last eight years distracts us from future. Recent debate has obscured the truth...some say "antyhing goes" and others would never put security over transparency...once again rising above the extreme views of both sides...sayin american people are of this pragmatic view, they want fairness honest care common sense in balancing security and transparency...not extreme views....this is what makes us different as a nation...our constitution and values are pragmatic..
Note: this is brilliant way to get middle americans to feel good that they are constitutionalists, focusing on the fact that the fairness and balancing in our system is what is effective and pragmatic, not just idealistic like all those ACLU types say.
Closes by saying we can't see security as a wedge that divides us we can succeed if we unite.
A not A+ because he was kind of weak on prosecuting torturers. But fucking A.
Now Cheney.
On a truth commission he says congress can do the job. "Courts can punish any violations of our laws." HE addresses the media culture and relitigation of last eight years distracts us from future. Recent debate has obscured the truth...some say "antyhing goes" and others would never put security over transparency...once again rising above the extreme views of both sides...sayin american people are of this pragmatic view, they want fairness honest care common sense in balancing security and transparency...not extreme views....this is what makes us different as a nation...our constitution and values are pragmatic..
Note: this is brilliant way to get middle americans to feel good that they are constitutionalists, focusing on the fact that the fairness and balancing in our system is what is effective and pragmatic, not just idealistic like all those ACLU types say.
Closes by saying we can't see security as a wedge that divides us we can succeed if we unite.
A not A+ because he was kind of weak on prosecuting torturers. But fucking A.
Now Cheney.
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