The union representing Hollister firefighters recently issued a first-ever no-confidence vote for City Manager Clint Quilter and Fire Chief Fred Cheshire and has recommended that Cheshire be investigated and fired.
The union representing Hollister firefighters recently issued a first-ever no-confidence vote for City Manager Clint Quilter and Fire Chief Fred Cheshire and has recommended that Cheshire be investigated and fired.
In a press release issued by union president Vince Grewohl, Hollister Fire Fighters Association Local 3395 reported that an “overwhelming majority” of its members voted May 22 to support the no-confidence declaration regarding the leadership of Quilter and Cheshire.
“The HFFU would like to reassure the mayor, citizens of Hollister and the surrounding communities that citizen safety is our top priority and that this vote will in no way change our commitment to them or our delivery of service,” Grewohl wrote.
He noted that an “accumulation of events,” related to budgeting, administration and fire and EMS issues, “have put front line captains and firefighters in embarrassing and unsafe positions” and have resulted in the union membership “lacking faith” in the leadership “to make responsible decisions with public safety in mind.”
Grewohl, in his seven-page letter, accuses Quilter and Cheshire of multiple actions or inaction ranging from contract violations to misconduct, harassment and retaliation.
Quilter and other city officials had just received the letter Monday morning from the firefighters union, which also delivered it to the Free Lance. He said he still needed to look through the document before responding to details.
Asked if he was surprised by it, Quilter responded, “Given the budget times we’re going through, I mean, everybody’s making tough decisions.”
Hollister Mayor Ray Friend also said he needed some time to examine the letter.
Cheshire was not immediately available for comment.
Repeated violations of the union’s memorandum of understanding with the city have forced the union “to file multiple grievances to uphold our contract,” Grewohl said, while the city administration disregarded the agreement to “ruthlessly save money on the back of the fire department by not filling taxpayer-funded firefighter positions they’ve approved in the budget and budgeted for.”
The union claims that the fire department has not filled vacancies within 180 days as stipulated in the MOU and is currently one person short of the budgeted 23 positions. It claims that Quilter is “knowingly violating” the agreement and showing “gross negligence of duty and willful disobedience to fulfill his duties” in implementing city council direction.
The union also claims that the city council has given “unexplainable retirement enhancements” to members of Quilter’s staff “while cutting the working class’s salary and benefits,” resulting in front-line emergency response units being taken out of service due to lacking funds.
Having six “career, full-time” firefighters on duty at any given time means the fire department “does not have the capabilities to handle any emergency calls of any significant size, putting firefighters and the citizens of Hollister in harm’s way,” Grewohl wrote.
Union members claim that their concerns about staffing reductions prompted by budget cuts in recent years have gone unanswered and that money from the 1 percent tax increase approved by voters in 2007 has not augmented fire department staffing and service as intended.
The union said that full-time staffing has been reduced from 27 to 21 since 2006, a sign, Grewohl’s press release stated, that “the city manager has violated the trust of (Hollister) citizens by not fully implementing the intent” of Measure T.
Quilter is accused by the union of bias and is criticized for “the inability to bring quality businesses or improve the (climate) for small businesses to succeed.”
Quilter and Cheshire are also criticized for failing to solidify a contract with the county for fire protection.
The firefighter union’s vote of no-confidence pulls no punches in its assessment of its boss, Cheshire.
The union says the chief has compromised firefighter safety by refusing to conduct annual mask fit testing, not having enough firefighters on duty and not putting a qualified person in place for management and supervision when he is on leave.
“This creates a huge life safety issue to the individuals responding to an incident of any significance,” Grewohl wrote.
Cheshire, according to the union, has at “multiple times” failed to respond in a timely manner – or at all – to some emergency calls when needed. The membership notes that formal complaints have been filed against him for “aggressive and hostile behavior” toward fire personnel.
By “allowing further cuts” to the department and not meeting the minimum job requirement for the chief’s position, Cheshire should be investigated and, ultimately, fired, the union says.
“We recognize the potential public impact this may cause and the importance of composure in the public’s eye,” Grewohl wrote in the letter, which was sent to Cheshire, Quilter, City Attorney Stephanie Atigh, city council members, the board of supervisors and media outlets. “Because of this, we believe a discussion with city leaders will benefit all parties equally.”
Look back for more, including a draft of the union’s letter.
