The communication difficulties at the Austin Fire Department warrant the hiring of an outside consultant.

Thursday, March 08, 2001

The communication difficulties at the Austin Fire Department warrant the hiring of an outside consultant.

That is what the City Council’s fire committee decided Feb. 22. Specifically, the consultant will meet with the various members of the Fire Department on all levels to determine the perspectives of each individual, analyze the total situation and prepare a report of findings and recommendations, which hopefully will remedy any personnel conflicts.

Interviews of prospective consultants were conducted Tuesday afternoon and will be continued next Monday. President Kent Eklund of Cincinnatus and Senior Vice President Harry Brull of PDI Public Sector Services, both of Minneapolis, spoke to the committee Tuesday.

Prior to the interviews, Jim Mattice, president of Local 598 of the International Association of Firefighters, asked that outside of the interviews and during the entire process only one person should be in contact with the consultant for confidentiality’s sake. Committee chairwoman Jeanne Poppe suggested that person should be City Administrator Pat McGarvey.

Questions addressed to the interviewees included, "Please address how you handle confidentiality matters. What will be your method of engagement?" and "What are – from your viewpoint – the goals for this process and effort to strive for?"

After the interviews, the matter will be referred to the council for a consultant choice on March 19.

During their Monday meeting, the council approved $10,000 for the cost of hiring the consultant, to be charged to the city’s contingency fund. At the end of the year, the money will be repaid to the fund from the Fire Department budget. Traditionally, the Fire Department’s budget has had sufficient funds at the end of the year to cover such an expense, city Finance Director Tom Dankert said.

The chosen consultant will have from 45 to 60 days to complete the assessment of the situation, according to the city’s timeframe, Poppe said.

Call Kevira Mertha at 434-2233 or e-mail her at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.