Former Sedona Fire Chief, Nazih M. Hazime
Sedona AZ (June 14, 2011)-These comments come from the latest minutes of the SFD Work Board Session of 6/8/11. In my opinion they reflect the feelings of the vast majority of the residents of the Sedona Fire District who feel that four members of this board are playing with the lives of those who expect professional services from the hard-working fire personnel. Unless this silent majority wakes up and takes some action, it will be too late!
Tom Longo Sedona, AZ
Karen Schmitt – Chapel Area: If you read today’s front page of Red Rock News, you know that Chairman Blauert actually feigned surprise when the Chief finally had enough and handed in his resignation.
Oh Really? Were you and your 3 buddies on the Board really that ignorant of what you were doing? That’s just not credible. Applying the kind of pressure you did to the Chief was part of an ugly plan.
You claim in the same article, “I always gave him the highest level of respect.” Oh Really? Perhaps in your own mind. I am here to say what the Chief cannot.
You muzzled him when he was in your employ, and he is muzzled from now on concerning what everyone knows occurred. In the few short months you have been Chair of this Board, four of you have voted as a block on nearly every issue, with the one critical thinker, Ty Montgomery, usually voting alone.
You have exhibited mistrust and disrespect of the Chief and all other SFD employees at every turn by hiring consultants and attorneys at $200/hr or more to verify most everything you are told by staff.
Your Board has insisted on signing all checks, no matter how frivolous or inconvenient. You have inexplicably reduced the dollar amount the Chief could authorize on his own.
You continue to insist on extremely costly forensic audits at taxpayers’ expense, with no particular goal but on suspicion of hoping to find something amiss somewhere.
You have made calls and had discussions all over the state attempting to gather information to use against the policies at SFD. Other fire departments are asking why you don’t trust your own district staff who are much more qualified to give you the information you seek.
Whenever the Chief offered to assist in information gathering or asked to be involved, he was turned away like an uninvited houseguest. You continue to believe you know more about running a Fire District than any veteran like the Chief.
Chief Hazime’s treatment before the public was so outrageous it was difficult for the public to watch. I never once heard Mr. Blauert address Chief Hazime by his title, “Chief.” Mr. Blauert stood by while another Board member lectured the Chief both publically and privately for his “comportment” with the Board. The most recent insult was when Mr. Blauert himself unjustly accused the Chief of insubordination.
The SFD is headed for total destruction unless we members of the public stop this Board from achieving any more benchmarks on the vindictive and punitive agenda.
I no longer even care what their reason is. I’m sorry to say they have proven they cannot be entrusted with our money nor our lives and safety. If they were looking out for us as they promised when elected, we would still have our Chief.
Martha Mertz – VOC: In the past several months we, the public, have been taking the measure of our Fire Chief and members of this Board.
We have carefully listened and observed all opportunity that presented at public sessions. There were many executive sessions where we were left out. There are some stark realities that we have found and they have led to this outrageous outcome, this day of shame.
All of us, you the Board and the Community, have been provided an excellent example of leadership from our Chief; leadership through authenticity, integrity, knowledge and continuous learning, collaboration by listening to every meaningful voice the courage to show up and stand up in the face of intolerance and humiliation. Constantly giving back to his colleagues and to the Community and finally being a fierce advocate for what is right. Those are the qualities we saw in our Chief.
We have been confident and proud to have the finest person possible overseeing our safety, and the reputation of Sedona as a safe place for the millions of visitors that we attract. Our confidence and pride does not extend to 4 members of this Board.
We have seen a large disparity in both talent and character between the fire professionals and the Board. Perhaps by measuring yourselves against his outstanding capabilities, you found yours to be far less.
This dynamic can cause actions that are far off the mark. Where you saw excellence you sought at adherence, where you saw aspire décor you introduced divisiveness and contention.
You chose to question and then dismiss the expertise and professional judgment of this department. It wasn’t about doing the right thing; it was about a certain kind of power. It was about abusing that power.
We saw, from you, a mission to micromanage, to question beyond reason, to demean in subtle and overt ways, to undermine the professionals in the department.
To threaten audits implying criminal behavior; to appoint your campaign manager when another candidate was but 2 votes shy of election; to find ways of hiring a company when a clear conflict of interest existed. These are the leadership qualities we’ve observed from four of you.
Only Ty Montgomery has shown a genuine set of values and objectives in overseeing the Fire Department. He is to be commended for his courage and wisdom. I don’t believe that 4 of you have the best interest of community nor the Fire Department in mind.
I do not believe you should remain in this position. Our community deserves better.
Doug Fitzpatrick – VOC: Most important person for Sedona Fire District, in my view, is the Chief. We have had an excellent one in Chief Hazime. He has the technical acumen, the administrative skills, and the people are second to none, but, as we know, he has quit.
The question on everyone’s mind is why.
As I understand what has gone on over the last 6 months, and I’ve followed district business pretty carefully, is because you folks think you know how to do the Chief’s job better than the Chief does.
You don’t have training, the experience or education but you have presumed to do his job for him. As though he’s had enough of your micro management, and in many cases arrogance, I don’t blame him for quitting, not one bit.
Most of our firefighters and administrative personnel are following the Chief’s lead and looking for work elsewhere because the morale of this District is in the toilet.
And why is the morale of these good people at an all-time low?
I submit the buck stops with you folks. It appears that you are following your political agenda to save us all $50.00 bucks on our tax bill and in the process you’re dismantling what was a proud and first class Fire District.
I believe I am speaking for the entire Community when I tell you keep your $50 bucks!
In an emergency dial 9-1-1
bravo to tom long and the speakers at this meeting – Dick
this group of nimwits deserves to be bounced from any power–why do we put up with them? they’re names are mud. to be associated with them is to welcome a crime to happen and we’ll be responsible. the worst part for VOC and Sedona and the fire district is that one of us will die or be severely impacted but no body cares about others in this world here. you will sacrifice any thing for the almighty God Dollar. selfish.
We are shocked. We had no idea what was going on after being away for three months and ignoring Sedona news (thanks for trying to keep us informed). Dick (thanks for the prod) is not the only VOC Silent Majority Voter to wake up.
Charlie and Dave, this is nuts. We know you and we want you to cut it out. These people are owed for 911 and for what might come down the pike. They’ve done us no wrong. Cost cutting doesn’t mean disembowling.
Dave and Charlie, we want professionals and not volunteers on the job, God bless them all. In an emergency, the best we can have at so little cost is worth every cent. Death by Cheap is a foul in the game of life. I rather go out owing a million dimes if it means a longer life given by professional emergency responders.
Go get that respected Chief back on the job and go back to doing what you know best. Support our community instead of undercutting its services. You have to stop talking to a minority of residents that slap you on the back for saving a few pennies and the Big Parkers that like wielding power. You’re better men than this. Admit you lost your way and eat some crow. We’ll respect you more.
In case people have missed the Sedona Fire District Board Meeting of Wednesday, June 22, 2011 / 6:00 PM Public Session, enclosed are comments made during the Public Forum portion of the meeting:
DOUGLAS W. AYRES, VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK:
I live on Thunder Road in the Village and have for 25 years. I request that no action be taken by the Board to discuss, establish committee or Chairman or take any action of any type regarding a Fire Chief search.
The reasons for such request are – one – recall petitions are being prepared and will be circulated to remove all Board Members except for Ty Montgomery.
Two – based on considerable expressions of local opinion, there is a high probability that all four recalls will be successful. Thus, search costs of any new Chief would be wasted expense.
Three – current Fire Chief Nazih Hazime has agreed to serve until June 26th. He is therefore still Chief and has stated publicly that he will remain a citizen of Sedona and retain his home here. The best available professional Fire Chief already is locally present – Nazih Hazime.
The new Fire Board, thus, would be wise to appoint the best immediately locally available and experienced Fire Chief – Nazih Hazime.
The Sedona Fire District has no need to appoint a short-term Chief who would be, as expected, grossly subservient to the current Board majority and its domineering Chairman, and his and the Board’s dangerous ignorance and resultant policies, actions and budget.
If there are questions, I would be glad to debate you on any of them.
JOAN SHANNON, UPTOWN SEDONA:
Mr. Blauert, I’m 69 years old. I do not feel I need a police officer as a babysitter.
To have the police department at every meeting to watch us is extreme harassment of us citizens. I feel it is revenge against us because of our criticisms against the Board’s actions.
There’s never been a bad incident at a meeting, even the June 8th meeting; I watched the video today as I was not there.
No one got out of their seats and stormed the Board with pitchforks. Your campaign stole the signs of the opposition during the campaign; so, who needs to be watched? I don’t think it’s our citizens. I think it’s the Board.
The Board has harassed us often with outrageous statements against us.
Now you want to give another, final insult and want to take money out of our pockets to pay for armed police officers to be here at the meetings to watch us and I think that’s an insult to the public. Thank you.
RICHARD COLLISTER, WEST SEDONA:
I moved to Sedona a couple of years ago and I’m a homeowner here… I felt compelled… this is the first time I’ve been to a Board meeting… I felt compelled to come and state what was on my mind.
Throughout the time I’ve been here, I’ve seen contention, contentious relationships between the Fire Board and the members of the fire department, the Chief right on down to the ranks, and particularly, since this Board’s been elected and when I heard that the Chief resigned as a result of all this contention, I had to come say something.
And you know, I don’t understand what your motivation is. I mean, if your motivation is to save me $100 or $200 on my taxes, thanks, but no thanks.
I also want to say I’m a retired New York City fireman and I’ve seen short-term elected officials making decisions for fire departments when they know nothing about what’s going on.
You know, if your motivation is to save me a few bucks, okay, that’s fine, but let the fire department manage the fire department. The fire department knows how to run itself, and these fine men of integrity, professionalism, that have a care for doing, you know, service to the citizens of Sedona, let them do their job.
I mean if you want to work on the budget, that’s fine, but let the fire department be the fire department.
And I’m particularly… when I heard that the Chief resigned, a nice guy, a man of integrity, I just could not understand what your motivation is. You know, the morale of the men, I expect a fire department if I’m in need, my family’s in need, the fire department’s going to respond. They know what they’re doing. I don’t expect you guys to know anything about the inner-workings of the fire department. The fire department can, basically, run itself.
You know, if you want to tinker with some budgetary items or whatever, that’s fine. But, let the men be the men, let the women be the men, let the fire department run the fire department.
Quit micro-managing everything and, you know, I’ve just got to say one thing… when this whole election was taking place, I was quite dismayed at the cowardness of the things that you guys hung up with the salaries of the men. Quite misinformation because you know all of it was not coming from the county, you know, part of it was Federal money or whatever. It’s just a cowardly act.
And I really don’t know what your motivation is. If your motivation is the demise, the killing of morale of the men to save me $100, congratulations, you’ve done it.
But let the fire department be the fire department… I’ve lived here for two years now. Just let the fire department run the fire department. If you want to save me $200, thanks a lot, but no thanks. Thank you.
CAROLINE JOHNSON, CHAPEL AREA:
I am so pleased that Board Member Ty Montgomery has stayed true to his principles. I’m proud to have been part of your campaign. Yes.
KATHRYN REYNOLDS, UPTOWN AREA:
I would like to address something…I understand people’s emotions and their passions about things. I get that.
But, I have 30 years in finance and education in it, and 10 years in dealing in different business situations with Mr. Blauert, who always was impeccable, a gentleman, kept his word, is respected and trusted because of his ability to do business in such a proper fashion.
Maybe the delivery could have been more palatable, but I dare say that any major transition right now, financially, was going to be hard for everybody.
I believe there is a lot of information that has not been disclosed because of confidentiality. I don’t know that for a fact, but being a finance person, I would assume so.
And I just want to say that I think you’re getting better government than what you are paying for. He doesn’t need to be here. He doesn’t need the headaches or the money. He’s looking to be of service.
And hear me now, believe me later, when it comes to making a budget work, this gentleman knows how to do that.
Thank you.
DICK FISHEL, WEST SEDONA:
This is in response to Mr. Blauert’s Guest Perspective in today’s Red Rock News.
I respect Mr. Blauert’s right to express his opinion, but I would also like to exert my right to express my opinion and address, what I believe, is some misleading information that was in that article.
Mr. Blauert states that the City of Sedona, Sedona public schools, and the police department have all lost employees because of – quote – budget constraints, but that SFD has not laid off or dismissed any employees, implying SFD has not lost employees because of – quote – budget constraints.
The fact is that the Chief eliminated two top management positions and moved their assignments to other management team members due to – quote – budget considerations.
Two current management level vacancies are not now being filled due to budget constraints and eight other current employee vacancies are not being filled due to budget constraints, for a total of eleven positions either eliminated…either being eliminated or not being filled because of budget constraints; so, the fact is that SFD has also lost employee head count due to public budget constraints, just like any other public sectors in town.
The article also states the purchase of SFD’s 100 foot, $1 million ladder truck has been very controversial, leaving by that statement one to assume SFD paid $1 million for the ladder truck when, in fact, it paid closer to $850,000, not $1 million for that truck.
He states that the new health plan for 2011/2012 will save an estimated $300,000, but gives no credit to Karen Daines for negotiating that package.
I also want to remind everybody that the highest vote-getter of any of the three elected to the Board at the last election was Mr. Montgomery. He speaks for the higher number of us that voted for him and we expect him to reflect our concerns and our positions on Fire Board actions and decisions.
His Red Rock News Guest Perspective was exactly what all of us that voted for him were feeling and we laud him for telling it like it is. There were no irresponsible personal attacks, name-calling, or demonizing. He presented the facts and his opinion of those facts, and that’s what we expected him to do.
And, finally, to say that the resignation of the Chief, Fire Marshal, Telecommunications Manager, Human Resource Director, and the others had nothing to do with Board actions and decisions is unbelievable.
If you were to ask any of them, and I have asked many of them, if the actions of the Board in taking away their ability to manage their functions and the Board’s rejections of their concern about budget constraints affecting service played a part in their decision to leave, the answer given to me was “yes.”
I am very concerned with the attitude that the decisions of the Board have nothing to do with recent management and staff resignations and the undeserved, horrible reputation we’re getting around the State.
That, in my opinion, is being very naïve and out of touch with reality.
Thank you for the opportunity to express my opinions.
Ludicrous. Not the outcome I expected after hearing Dave and Don talk around town before the election about fire department problems. Now convinced that my votes for Dave and Phyllis and Joe in the wrong. I admire that Reynolds woman for sticking up for her friend (Dave is a decent fellow) but a better friend asks that Dave’s delivery be modulated and facts checked. If it;s truth Daines negotiated the savings then board’s out of line to take credit and not give credit where it’s due. I’m sure others agree – even you Dible. Cant recall name of person suggesting crow but it’s the meal to eat. Don never said you were looking to fire the chief – a decent man – he didn’t deserve to deal with this kind of bad behavior. What must he think of Sedona now? Get him back to work. He’s NOT the problem, boys and girls of Sedona. Mind your manners. Facts trump opinions. And if it’s truth about your using police officers as protection, you’ll lose all my respect and most of those that I’ve talked to. Stop acting like children. You’re not that important or the job you’re elected to do if it means turning your friends like to disrespect. (initials only and no address please…(deleted)…you turned out to be the best news in Sedona..)