Critic: Qualified deputy fire chief candidates bypassed
After Lincoln Fire Capt. Jeanne Pashalek was promoted to deputy chief last month, a 29-year veteran of the department decided to picket the mayor’s office.
For three days last week, the retired firefighter stood in front of the County-City Building, holding a sign asking the mayor why Pashalek was promoted over five candidates who scored higher on qualifying tests going into her interview.
Gary Christman easily has been Chief Niles Ford’s most vocal critic when it comes to the decision to promote Pashalek to deputy chief of Battalion 2, overseeing the east half of the city.
But he hasn’t been alone.
A Dec. 12 story about her promotion attracted dozens of anonymous postings to JournalStar.com — a good number of them negative.
And a letter to the editor included an allegation Pashalek was chosen because she’s a woman. Two others letters supported her.
Pashalek graduated from Doane College with a natural science degree in 1985 and joined the department, where she went from firefighter to paramedic, captain to deputy chief.
Firefighters union President Dave Engler said he’s heard people say morale is the lowest it’s ever been. He doesn’t buy it.
Maybe people are unhappy with decisions that are made or frustrated in general, he said, but they’re not frustrated enough to leave.
“We don’t have people leaving in droves,” Engler said.
Some union members who were candidates for the position talked with an attorney about their options, he said. He doesn’t know what they’re going to do.
Pashalek declined to comment for this story, but a spokeswoman for Mayor Chris Beutler said he supports Ford’s personnel decisions.
Ford, not surprisingly, stands by his decision, too.
“It’s the burden you carry. Some people will be happy with it, some people won’t. That’s part of my job.“
‘All of them were strong’
Strictly based on experience, test results and hours as acting deputy chief, Pashalek should not have been promoted, Christman argues.
He calls her “No. 7,” which, he says, indicates her ranking among seven candidates up for the two openings.
Leo Benes also was named deputy fire chief of Battalion 2 last month. He and Pashalek fill positions opened because of the retirements of Arnie Hart and Larry Edwards.
Benes scored first, Pashalek ranked seventh, Christman said, and he wants to know why Ford moved her to second place.
Christman noted that he never worked with Pashalek and doesn’t have anything against her personally.
“I want to stick strictly to the numbers,” he said. “There were five more qualified people that all got passed over.”
Chief Ford said all of the candidates for the deputy chief jobs were qualified — and he wasn’t looking at scores.
In her interview, Pashalek articulated her vision for the department, had good understanding of human resources and strategic planning, he said. Her experience as a paramedic and the fact that she nearly has her master’s degree were in her favor, too.
Ford said he doesn’t want to marginalize the strengths and abilities of the others who were up for the position.
“Because all of them are strong. I was very fortunate in that way,” he said.
Deputy chief promotions are set up to allow the chief to develop management staff.
Ultimately, Ford said, it’s his decision.
“I know it makes some people uncomfortable, this decision,” the chief said Friday. “But ... it is what it is.”
That Pashalek is a woman was a nonissue, he said.
Firefighters frustrated, but fear retaliation
In Ford’s last job — as a deputy fire chief for a department near Atlanta — he made 40 promotions or more in 2½ years, he said. Not one raised an eyebrow, he said.
After starting work in Lincoln on Oct. 1, Ford said he told Fire & Rescue employees he was going to do some things they’d be deliriously happy about, and others they wouldn’t like.
He asked them not give up on him, he said, because he’s not going to give up on them.
“The only promise I would make though, is that every time I’m going to try to do the right thing. This promotion is consistent with that statement,” Ford said.
He said he understands his decision affects people’s lives.
“Ultimately ... this is my decision,” Ford said.
Christman agrees.
“I think the chief should pick the people he wants to have as his deputy chiefs. But there should be some reasons for it that people can live with based on testing and qualifications.”
The retired firefighter said he talked with half a dozen firefighters frustrated by the decision but unwilling to say anything publicly for fear of retaliation.
“I’m retired,” Christman said. “They can’t do anything to me.”
So he made a placard and headed to City Hall.
When it comes to Pashalek, a union member until her promotion, union president Engler said he’s not taking sides.
People in the private and public sectors get promoted or lose out on a promotion every day, he said.
“Obviously, if you get passed over it’s upsetting, clearly,” he said.
But it’s not something to be argued in the public eye, he said.
“I think this is something in the fire department itself,” Engler said.
“That’s where it needs to be discussed and handled.”
Reach Lori Pilger at 473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com.
For three days last week, the retired firefighter stood in front of the County-City Building, holding a sign asking the mayor why Pashalek was promoted over five candidates who scored higher on qualifying tests going into her interview.
Gary Christman easily has been Chief Niles Ford’s most vocal critic when it comes to the decision to promote Pashalek to deputy chief of Battalion 2, overseeing the east half of the city.
But he hasn’t been alone.
A Dec. 12 story about her promotion attracted dozens of anonymous postings to JournalStar.com — a good number of them negative.
And a letter to the editor included an allegation Pashalek was chosen because she’s a woman. Two others letters supported her.
Pashalek graduated from Doane College with a natural science degree in 1985 and joined the department, where she went from firefighter to paramedic, captain to deputy chief.
Firefighters union President Dave Engler said he’s heard people say morale is the lowest it’s ever been. He doesn’t buy it.
Maybe people are unhappy with decisions that are made or frustrated in general, he said, but they’re not frustrated enough to leave.
“We don’t have people leaving in droves,” Engler said.
Some union members who were candidates for the position talked with an attorney about their options, he said. He doesn’t know what they’re going to do.
Pashalek declined to comment for this story, but a spokeswoman for Mayor Chris Beutler said he supports Ford’s personnel decisions.
Ford, not surprisingly, stands by his decision, too.
“It’s the burden you carry. Some people will be happy with it, some people won’t. That’s part of my job.“
‘All of them were strong’
Strictly based on experience, test results and hours as acting deputy chief, Pashalek should not have been promoted, Christman argues.
He calls her “No. 7,” which, he says, indicates her ranking among seven candidates up for the two openings.
Leo Benes also was named deputy fire chief of Battalion 2 last month. He and Pashalek fill positions opened because of the retirements of Arnie Hart and Larry Edwards.
Benes scored first, Pashalek ranked seventh, Christman said, and he wants to know why Ford moved her to second place.
Christman noted that he never worked with Pashalek and doesn’t have anything against her personally.
“I want to stick strictly to the numbers,” he said. “There were five more qualified people that all got passed over.”
Chief Ford said all of the candidates for the deputy chief jobs were qualified — and he wasn’t looking at scores.
In her interview, Pashalek articulated her vision for the department, had good understanding of human resources and strategic planning, he said. Her experience as a paramedic and the fact that she nearly has her master’s degree were in her favor, too.
Ford said he doesn’t want to marginalize the strengths and abilities of the others who were up for the position.
“Because all of them are strong. I was very fortunate in that way,” he said.
Deputy chief promotions are set up to allow the chief to develop management staff.
Ultimately, Ford said, it’s his decision.
“I know it makes some people uncomfortable, this decision,” the chief said Friday. “But ... it is what it is.”
That Pashalek is a woman was a nonissue, he said.
Firefighters frustrated, but fear retaliation
In Ford’s last job — as a deputy fire chief for a department near Atlanta — he made 40 promotions or more in 2½ years, he said. Not one raised an eyebrow, he said.
After starting work in Lincoln on Oct. 1, Ford said he told Fire & Rescue employees he was going to do some things they’d be deliriously happy about, and others they wouldn’t like.
He asked them not give up on him, he said, because he’s not going to give up on them.
“The only promise I would make though, is that every time I’m going to try to do the right thing. This promotion is consistent with that statement,” Ford said.
He said he understands his decision affects people’s lives.
“Ultimately ... this is my decision,” Ford said.
Christman agrees.
“I think the chief should pick the people he wants to have as his deputy chiefs. But there should be some reasons for it that people can live with based on testing and qualifications.”
The retired firefighter said he talked with half a dozen firefighters frustrated by the decision but unwilling to say anything publicly for fear of retaliation.
“I’m retired,” Christman said. “They can’t do anything to me.”
So he made a placard and headed to City Hall.
When it comes to Pashalek, a union member until her promotion, union president Engler said he’s not taking sides.
People in the private and public sectors get promoted or lose out on a promotion every day, he said.
“Obviously, if you get passed over it’s upsetting, clearly,” he said.
But it’s not something to be argued in the public eye, he said.
“I think this is something in the fire department itself,” Engler said.
“That’s where it needs to be discussed and handled.”
Reach Lori Pilger at 473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com.
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