Six months are enough for interim fire chief
Lisa Roberson | The Chronicle-Telegram
ELYRIA — Despite being heralded in May as the leader the Fire Department needed, Interim Fire Chief Joe Pronesti said he is stepping down from the position when his six-month commitment ends in November.
The top spot comes with more headaches and playing politics than he originally thought, he said.
“I think I can do the citizens a better job being a fireman,” he said. “I’m going to honor my commitment as interim chief, but I really want to go back to riding a truck with my fellow firefighters.”
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Pronesti has not removed his name from the civil service commission list, which will be used to select the new fire chief after Fire Chief John Zielinski retires.
However, at this point that is a serious possibility, he said. Until then, he is requesting in November to be placed back on shift as a captain — his prior rank — at the Cedar Street Fire Station.
Zielinski is still fire chief, but on extended medical leave.
“I can say I’m definitely disappointed and hope that he’ll reconsider before the time comes to hire a new fire chief,” said Mayor Bill Grace. “We’ve been working since May on trying to find as much common ground as we could between the Fire Department and the administration. We seemed to be making some progress, but obviously it wasn’t enough.”
New fire chief: Round two
Once Zielinski announces his retirement, which Grace suspects will come in January, Grace said he will continue with his plan to select a successor from the list generated by the Civil Service Commission. Pronesti’s name tops the list followed by Capt. Rich Benton — the only other firefighter to take the qualification test.
None of the assistant fire chiefs took the test when it was administered in February because they have said they are not interested in the chief’s job.
If Pronesti does remove his name, Benton will automatically be asked if he wants the job, Grace said.
Benton, who is on vacation, was unavailable for comment.
In November, Fire Marshal Bob Dempsey, who now serves as acting chief when necessary, could step into Pronesti’s role.
Dempsey would not comment on whether that would work, considering he has had his own run-ins with Grace over the management of the fire department.
“I’m the fire marshal, and the fire marshal has always been the acting fire chief when the chief is not in. Nothing has ever changed,” he said. “I was the acting chief (Friday) because Pronesti was out of the office.”
Nonetheless, City Councilman Garry Gibbs, R-3rd Ward, believes that whoever takes the job will encounter the same pressures.
“Safety just doesn’t seem to be a priority for this mayor,” he said. “Why would the mayor want to jeopardize the integrity of the department now is unknown to me. This is a good way to turn off not only the rank and file, but also the general public when we need them to pass this income tax renewal.”
Politics and personal
Pronesti started the interim chief’s job on May 15 feeling a little bit of trepidation, but those feelings of apprehension and nervousness quickly disappeared as he jumped full-on into the role of chief, he said.
“I really thought I could do the job in my core,” he said. “I know what the Fire Department once was in its heyday, and I thought I could restore it to that. I’ve always said that I’m just a fireman. That’s me.”
When, two months into his tenure, the former General Industries factory caught fire, lighting up the sky with flames for more than 16 hours, Pronesti’s leadership was tested and proven in a way that garnered much public praise. City Council, the mayor and residents finally had something that they could agree upon — they all liked the way Pronesti managed the department.
However, beneath the surface Pronesti said he was losing something he never thought he would: The belief he could actually change the department from the top down.
“I know I could be a great advocate for the department, but it just comes down to recognizing what I can accomplish there and what I can’t,” he said. “I don’t want to leave my job bitter and upset. I’ve always had fun doing my job, and I’ve found myself far away from that.”
Rocketing to the top
Pronesti, 38, assumed the position of interim fire chief in a firestorm of controversy. Zielinski was only working sporadically and on the days when Dempsey stepped in as acting fire chief, the tension between him and Grace was palpable.
The highly charged back-and-forth exchanges between the two, documented in both memos and public meetings, culminated in May when Dempsey called for the department to stop acting as emergency first responders. It was in response to Grace’s executive decision in August 2007 to cut minimum manning in the Fire Department.
However, Grace swiftly took action and moved Pronesti, who some say was lauded because of his ability to work with the mayor, into the role of interim fire chief.
“I’m disappointed,” said City Councilman Mark Craig, I-4th Ward. “(Pronesti) is highly qualified and motivated, and so far has been doing an excellent job for the department. It was my understanding he was picked by Grace to fill this position, and I had high hopes that he would be able to remedy some of the tension the department and mayor have had for years.”
Tuesday night before City Council, Pronesti will make his decision official.
However, each member of City Council has already received a copy of the letter Pronesti sent Wednesday to Safety Service Director Chris Eichenlaub briefly detailing his decision.
Pronesti’s departure will send a strong message that residents won’t ignore, Gibbs said.
“The public will see that the mayor is a difficult person to work with,” Gibbs said. “Pronesti is a good man, and there is no doubt he brings to the table knowledge, years of expertise and passion for the job. It’s a shame the mayor would turn someone like that away from the position.”
Moving forward
With the heir apparent abdicating the throne before he can be officially crowned, the Fire Department could once again be seen by the public as being without leadership.
Going that route won’t help the situation. Instead, Craig said, now is the time to rejuvenate efforts to get the fire department audit done quickly.
“Council has held off on forcing the mayor to do what it asked of him, but now it’s apparent that is what has to happen,” he said.
Grace said he is already there.
The audit committee of Councilman Kevin Brubaker, D-at large; Councilman Vic Stewart, D-at large; Councilman Forrest Bullocks, D-2nd Ward; fire Union President Dean Marks; Pronesti; Assistant Fire Chief Glenn Saddler; and Grace will meet again next week to determine where to go next.
“The audit is not going to be and shouldn’t be hindered by (Pronesti) stepping back,” Brubaker said. “There is still a differing of philosophy for running the Fire Department between the Fire Department and the administration, and with the audit we can move forward in a way that’s right, and maybe then (Pronesti) will come back. He is the right guy for the job. I know he thinks he will be happier on the truck, but he cares too much for that.”
In addition, Grace said that he will start the process of hiring five new firefighters Tuesday. They were interviewed in April and will be contacted to see if they still want the jobs. The hiring process takes about 30 days. Grace said if the new firefighters start in October, they will be in the official roster count by December.
Pronesti said he will welcome any new firefighters, but it’s too little, too late.
“It’s basically a wash because we have so many gone already,” he said.
Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.
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Filed by Lisa Roberson | The Chronicle-Telegram August 30th, 2008 in Top Stories. Popularity: 9% |
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Comments
Comment from
Haxor
August 30, 2008, 8:59 am
Mr Pronesti , don’t give up so soon , Mayor Dis-Grace wont be Mayor for much longer and then things should get better
Comment from
justanothermomsdad
August 30, 2008, 10:23 am
I thought we had a fire chief….isn’t grace the full time fire chief ?
Comment from
KenB
August 30, 2008, 10:35 am
Well Mayor Grace, what is it going to cost to paint your green SUV red &white as well as stenciled Elyria Fire Chief #0 on it?
Stand Up Elyria! Its time to make a change in Elyria.
standupelyria@ yahoo.com
Comment from
KenB
August 30, 2008, 12:40 pm
To the Citizens of Elyria
For those who haven’t attended a City Council meeting, this would be a good time for you to attend one. Come early and sign up to ask questions, questions that may have been on your mind about your City Government. You can ask questions about concerns you have in your area of the City there is just a simple sheet to fill out of what you want to ask.
The Meeting is at 7:00pm Tuesday 2nd at the City Hall up stairs in the Council Chambers. Oh! What chambers they are, you think Obama had a nice back drop you need to see City Council’s back drop.
Lets all show up and show our support for Chief Joe Pronesti!!
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