State auditor: Fire district's sweetheart deals costing taxpayers
SEATTLE -- State Auditor Brian Sonntag says sweetheart deals to retiring and laid-off employees at North Highline Fire District is costing taxpayers thousands of dollars.
These sweetheart deals, golden parachutes and severance packets are more generous than the standard employee contract, which is why the state auditor is concerned.
North Highline is a small fire district sandwiched between South Seattle and Burien. This year, because of a tight budget, the district's commissioners left three firefighter positions unfilled. And though the district has a medic van, it rarely has enough people to staff it.
"To have a shortage of firefighters seems to be putting everyone at risk," said Liz Giba, a White Center resident.
In the past year, the fire commission also eliminated positions for fire chief, training officer, fire inspector and training secretary, all in a move to cut its budget.
But the commissioners have been remarkably generous with some positions.
According to an auditor's report, in 2006, the commission increased the then-chief's pay by more than 57 percent, boosting his pre-retirement salary to nearly $200,000.
The next chief was paid more than $180,000 -- more than even Seattle's fire chief. He also got a $300,000 severance package when the district had to cut costs.
A training secretary's severance of $38,000 may seem nominal in comparison, but it's nearly 10 times what the auditor says she should have been paid. The former training secretary is also married to one of the fire commissioners.
"I was disgusted," Giba said.
Giba sits on a citizen's council, and says the investigation proves what she has said all along -- the fire district's commissioners are making too many decisions out of the public spotlight.
"We have three people who are sitting there making life and death decisions, and it doesn't seem like they're getting a handle around all the issues," she said.
The district commissioners referred all questions to their attorney, who refused an on-camera interview. The attorney did say, however, that the decisions followed policy and contractual requirements, and avoided potential litigation.
Sonntag concluded he couldn't substantiate a legal conflict of interest, but added the commissioners don't appear to be living up to their responsibility to manage the public's money responsibly.
These sweetheart deals, golden parachutes and severance packets are more generous than the standard employee contract, which is why the state auditor is concerned.
North Highline is a small fire district sandwiched between South Seattle and Burien. This year, because of a tight budget, the district's commissioners left three firefighter positions unfilled. And though the district has a medic van, it rarely has enough people to staff it.
"To have a shortage of firefighters seems to be putting everyone at risk," said Liz Giba, a White Center resident.
In the past year, the fire commission also eliminated positions for fire chief, training officer, fire inspector and training secretary, all in a move to cut its budget.
But the commissioners have been remarkably generous with some positions.
According to an auditor's report, in 2006, the commission increased the then-chief's pay by more than 57 percent, boosting his pre-retirement salary to nearly $200,000.
The next chief was paid more than $180,000 -- more than even Seattle's fire chief. He also got a $300,000 severance package when the district had to cut costs.
A training secretary's severance of $38,000 may seem nominal in comparison, but it's nearly 10 times what the auditor says she should have been paid. The former training secretary is also married to one of the fire commissioners.
"I was disgusted," Giba said.
Giba sits on a citizen's council, and says the investigation proves what she has said all along -- the fire district's commissioners are making too many decisions out of the public spotlight.
"We have three people who are sitting there making life and death decisions, and it doesn't seem like they're getting a handle around all the issues," she said.
The district commissioners referred all questions to their attorney, who refused an on-camera interview. The attorney did say, however, that the decisions followed policy and contractual requirements, and avoided potential litigation.
Sonntag concluded he couldn't substantiate a legal conflict of interest, but added the commissioners don't appear to be living up to their responsibility to manage the public's money responsibly.
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