Mayor changes way Seattle does business
SEATTLE -- Following a KOMO News investigation into alleged financial mismanagement within the city's fire department, Mayor Greg Nickels on Tuesday announced new steps to improve financial and ethical accountability.
In January Battalion Chief James Woodbury filed a petition with the Mayor's Office, claiming he was retaliated against for making allegations against Lt. Milton Footer. Woodbury had filed a complaint with the Seattle Elections and Ethics Commission last September, accusing Footer of abusing his power.
An ensuing investigation by the ethics commission found that Footer, who has been handling all the fire marshal duties for Qwest Field and the Qwest Field Event Center since 2002, had "grossly wasted public funds."
The report stated Footer failed to bill First & Goal, a Paul Allen company which operates Qwest Field, $195,679 to pay for firefighters who work overtime during Seahawks games to ensure public safety.
The investigation also concluded Footer misused his official position by allegedly strong-arming Key Arena personnel to get an extra backstage pass for his fiance to a sold-out Hannah Montana concert.
On Tuesday Nickels, stating, "I will not tolerate unethical behavior," announced the five following changes in the way the city does business.
First, the city will renegotiate the contract for fire services at Qwest Field and no longer permanently station a fire marshal at the location.
All billing services will be transferred from the fire department to the city's executive administration.
Everyone in the fire marshal's office and high-ranking department members must attend yearly ethics training. Assignments within the marshal's office will rotate to prevent conflicts of interest and lastly, fire marshals assigned to special events must sign for any passes to make sure they're used properly.
As for Woodbury's claims that he was retaliated against, the mayor's report found his demotion from deputy chief and assistant fire marshal was not a form of retaliation.
Woodbury said he is disappointed by the findings and is now left with no other choice but to sue the city.
In January Battalion Chief James Woodbury filed a petition with the Mayor's Office, claiming he was retaliated against for making allegations against Lt. Milton Footer. Woodbury had filed a complaint with the Seattle Elections and Ethics Commission last September, accusing Footer of abusing his power.
An ensuing investigation by the ethics commission found that Footer, who has been handling all the fire marshal duties for Qwest Field and the Qwest Field Event Center since 2002, had "grossly wasted public funds."
The report stated Footer failed to bill First & Goal, a Paul Allen company which operates Qwest Field, $195,679 to pay for firefighters who work overtime during Seahawks games to ensure public safety.
The investigation also concluded Footer misused his official position by allegedly strong-arming Key Arena personnel to get an extra backstage pass for his fiance to a sold-out Hannah Montana concert.
On Tuesday Nickels, stating, "I will not tolerate unethical behavior," announced the five following changes in the way the city does business.
First, the city will renegotiate the contract for fire services at Qwest Field and no longer permanently station a fire marshal at the location.
All billing services will be transferred from the fire department to the city's executive administration.
Everyone in the fire marshal's office and high-ranking department members must attend yearly ethics training. Assignments within the marshal's office will rotate to prevent conflicts of interest and lastly, fire marshals assigned to special events must sign for any passes to make sure they're used properly.
As for Woodbury's claims that he was retaliated against, the mayor's report found his demotion from deputy chief and assistant fire marshal was not a form of retaliation.
Woodbury said he is disappointed by the findings and is now left with no other choice but to sue the city.