City of Boston's plans for new Boston Fire Chief

[DWC295 70]

Article from today's Boston Globe about the City of Boston looking to hire from outside the dept for their next chief.

My link

[SOlsonBFDL14 35]

What Rod Fraser has tried to do to this department is contemptable. He only says what Mayor Menino tells him to & he talks out of both sides of his mouth. For example:

1. In the article he states, “We want someone who can stand up for the betterment of the department against the union,’’ Fraser said in a phone interview Friday. “It’s difficult for someone who’s been in the union for 30-plus years to take themselves out of that.’’ HOWEVER a couple of paragraphs later he says, "The dozens of deputy chiefs and district chiefs within Boston Fire will not be excluded from consideration, Fraser affirmed. He said he has sent letters to them inviting them to apply. So far, only one has, he said.

OF COURSE ONLY ONE HAS! YOU'VE ALREADY TOLD THEM THAT THE "FIX IS IN"! THAT FOR ALL INTENTS & PURPOSES, THEY HAVE ZERO CHANCE! WHY WOULD ANY OF OUR DEPUTIES APPLY?!?

2. Taken from above, “It’s difficult for someone who’s been in the union for 30-plus years to take themselves out of that.’’

If that truly IS the case, why did you go before the CIty Council & attempt to keep Chief of Department Ronald Keating, a member of IAFF Local 718 for THIRTY-NINE years (1970-2009) for FIVE YEARS past the MANDATORY retirement age of 65? And when that failed, instead of acknowledging that the reason Local 718 opposed the measure is because it would set a precident that could be used again down the road to circumvent the MANDATORY retirement age, blather that the reason we opposed it was because, "Keating is a thorn in the side of the union - a rare example of a Boston firefighter who climbed the uniformed ranks only to break with the department’s insular culture and embrace his role as a no-nonsense, non-union manager." (Larry Harmon, Boston Globe 08/06/11)

Again from the Harmon article, "In an April letter, Menino asked the city council to raise Keating’s retirement age to 70. “It is vital that the department be allowed to retain an experienced manager and operational specialist in order to preserve its morale and effectiveness,’’ wrote the mayor, who further described the department as at a “critical crossroads.’’"

Chief Keating was 63 years old at the time of his appointment in 2009. The fact that he would be forced to retire in October 2011 when he turned 65 should have come as no shock to anybody. Harmon writes, "But given Keating’s capabilities, it makes plenty of sense to keep him in place for another six months or a year. That would allow Fraser to mount a thorough search for a replacement, preferably a candidate from outside the department." What has Mr. Fraser been DOING for the past TWO years?! Commissioner Fraser and Mayor Menino KNEW that Chief Keating HAD to retire in October 2011. Why did they not start the search sooner & have a replacement in place? If he hasn't managed to find a suitable candidate in the past two years, why should we believe that he would be able to with six additional months to do so?

I'll get off my soapbox now, I KNOW that the Globe is a rag not suitable for wrapping fish in, yet somehow I STILL manage to get annoyed by their biased reporting.

[x635 4,066]

Thanks for the true insight on what's REALLY going on, Sean. It seems like there is always some sort of political conterversy going on. The Union is what holds BFD together, and is the reason why unions were formed decades ago. +1

[DWC295 70]

Article on Boston Fire's new Chief,Steve Abraira.

My link

[IzzyEng4 427]

They need to take Rod's power away from him and give the chief the power he needs to run BFD!

[Tribune 6]

The Department has turned a corner. It starting to look like the administration, both uniform and civilian are on the same page and the union is looking to move forward. The rank and file and the public should see a difference soon.

Most of the battles are over and everyone just wants to see morale improve, among other things.

[SOlsonBFDL14 35]

I am more than willing to give him a clean slate & wait and see what happens. His reputation is exceptional & he has a strong union background. I am concerned about the direction that we're headed in, but as I said I am willing to wait & see.

[mstrang1 213]

Damn, I thought Bobby V would have been perfect for the job!