If you’re among those wondering about the repercussions faced by Anchorage Fire Department Chief Mark Hall for his most recent transgressions, you likely know that the Assembly met with senior administration officials in executive session on Friday, January 7, to discuss the issue. Executive sessions are, by law, confidential, as are many other personnel-related matters so I can’t provide any information we learned. That said, I share the feelings of frustration expressed by many.
Ultimately the situation is thus: the mayor determines who does or does not work as an executive in the municipal government; the Assembly has no say. Since Chief Hall still has his job one can reasonably conclude our current mayor still wants him to have it. I’m not planning to run for mayor any time soon but if I ever do and Mr. Hall happens to remain as head of the Anchorage Fire Department I have a suggestion for him; contribute to my opponent.
Regards,
Patrick
P.S. I have been advised that I should add that the information received in the executive session did not lead to the conclusion I reached in my final sentence. Indeed, I reached my conclusion based solely on publicly available information.
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Copyright - Patrick Flynn, All Rights Reserved
Mr. Flynn
Many of the city residents are outraged at this kind of behaviour of Mr. Hall. My comment to the Mayor’s office was met with arrogance in telling me that the case was closed. (meaning no further action would be taken) . I responded that I would not be voting for Mr. Sullivan come next election and I would be donating to a viable candidate who will run against him.
Comment: Vic – 11. January 2011 @ 1:30 pm
Clarity is good.
Comment: Andy Holleman – 11. January 2011 @ 9:55 pm
It has been my experience that other employees have been disciplined, severely for employee issues less than this. Yet a Fire Chief can be drunk, decide he can help his on duty fireman (who deal with this stuff everyday) and question an officer integrity and then talk in the press as if he had done nothing wrong. Yet, had he been on duty, (which he was when he choose to intervened), intoxicated he should have been taken down for the Code required drug test. Any other employee would have been.
If he was disciplined for the first mishap, then he has another in less than a year, what was his actual punishment? He so arrogantly announces in the press he had done nothing wrong. Yet he was disciplined (according to management). Just that interview by Hall leads me to believe he wasn’t disciplined at all. He wasn’t even suspended. He was being interviewed in his uniform, at his office right after being so called disciplined thumbing his nose up at the Administration saying he had done nothing wrong. Clearly, someone thought he did something wrong otherwise he would not have been disciplined for it. My conclusion…he wasn’t disciplined at all.
It is amazing, or maybe not so amazing, that the Mayor would keep a Fire Chief that is unprofessional and an embarrassment. I will be sure to remind my family and friends of this double standard when election time is at hand.
He should have never been Chief. He is an embarrassment. The Mayor should be embarrassed about the conduct of his Chief and replace him with many of the other qualified people. We can’t have our appointed upper level management questioning our police officers, especially while they are in a state of intoxication. The arrogance is dumbfounding and the Mayor’s response is equally disappointing. But…I am not the least bit surprised.
Thank you for your post Patrick.
Comment: marie – 12. January 2011 @ 12:58 am
It would be nice to have an intelligent, articulate, thoughtful and ethical person in office. Please run for mayor.
Comment: friend43 – 12. January 2011 @ 10:31 am
It is known that Hall acted like a drunken idiot on the night of this incident. He is described by the firefighter who did not know he was being recorded as “way out of line” It is alleged he called the Fire employees invovled several times to influence their statements. If true that provides more than enough reason to fire him. That is improper use of his position. It is alleged he put his hands on several people at this incident. He called the police officer a liar and put his own employees down in a KTUU interview. Aside from this incident It is known that he made inappropriate comments toward a female chief . We also know about using a Fire truck as a taxi. How or Why would this Mayor stand by him? How can he still hold the public’s trust. How can he lead the Fire Department. How can he work with the Police Chief on public safety matters when the police chief is outraged by this incident? Why would the Mayor have such low standards for an executive in his administration?
Comment: strange – 12. January 2011 @ 12:03 pm
There are two APD investigations that took place. One before his interview and one after. The second was to determine who had told the truth, the officer or Mr Hall. The truth from these investigations will be revealed. Dan Sullivan should have learned from Joe Miller. This stuff comes out. Both he and Mr Hall will have to answer for their actions.
Comment: private – 12. January 2011 @ 12:25 pm
I was in Anchorage earlier this month when Chief Hall was being discussed by local media.
I had the pleasure of working for many years in the fire service and was proud of what I did. I left the fire service almost ten years ago after working for a fire chief who was a con-artist, identity thief, and most of all a complete fraud. He was eventually fired and fled the state.
Public officials should not be allowed to misuse public resources, their power or authority and not be held accountable.
What Mr. Hall has done in Anchorage is a slap in the face to the entire fire service. He does not deserve the support and protection of the mayor. He was not the most qualified individual who applied for the job, but he was given the position. He has repaid the City of Anchorage, it’s Mayor and residents with abuse, unacceptable behavior and outright abuse of his position. Its time for Mr. Hall to go.
Comment: CA Oaks – 12. January 2011 @ 6:22 pm
Pat
Can you comment on the status of the ombudsman’s report? Will it be public? Will it reveal the facts of the evening and afterward uncovered in the two APD investigations? Will we find out what the Mayor knew and when?
Comment: curious – 14. January 2011 @ 11:35 am
Mr. Flynn,
It is time that the Assembly look into the effect that Chief Hall’s antics are having on Anchorage Fire Department and the City in general. Hall has made so many mistakes (that’s his character, or lack of) that the Mayor has him right where he wants him. Chief Hall will do whatever the Mayor wants without question, as he is afraid to lose his job. And why wouldn’t the Mayor like it that way? The Chief is no longer an advocate for the well-being and safety of the men and women who serve under him. And much less an advocate for public safety for the citizens of Anchorage. He’s disenfranchised his own employees and those of the police department. Fire and Police need to have a good cooperative working relationship, and work together on the streets and behind the scenes for public safety. He’s already come out against our minimum staffing on emergency apparatus. This staffing is based on national standards – – things he formerly fought for a decade ago when he was the AFD Union president. In that position, he cut a deal with a former fire chief to give away contract concessions and receive a lucrative appointment to a battalion chief position in return. It’s always “all about Mark” and he’s just “Living the Dream”. The Fire Department now has no leader, and no one to represent us and advocate for us in City government. Morale among the rank and file has plummeted. Hall has lost any respect he might have deserved from his subordinates. We are all embarrassed by his antics. It is destroying our reputation with the citizens. Rumor has it that Chief Hall is trying to “buy time and hang around” until he meets retirement longevity. It has also been said that he is hoping to use his “get out of jail free” card to slide back into a Battalion Chief slot this spring when it becomes vacant. There, he’d be in prime position, as the direct supevisor, to carry out revenge on Captain Stevens. Captain Stevens is the “young Captain” who tried to appologize for Chief Hall and downplay Hall’s “outrageous antics” at the EMS scene last fall where Hall also impugned the integrity of a police officer.
The Chief has got to go. He’s ruining our department. This affects public safety.
Comment: My View Too – 27. January 2011 @ 8:37 pm