Nation's Capital Waiting for DCFD Chief Few to Resign (In Disgrace)

The Washington Times ^ | 5/15/02 | Kearny

[MarshMan]

The D.C. inspector general is investigating Fire Chief Ronnie Few for errors in his resume, while Assistant Fire Chief Gary L. Garland, who was disciplined for false information in his resume, has said he will resign.

Inspector General Charles Maddox has added Chief Few's resume to an ongoing inquiry of the fire chief's hiring of a friend as a consultant without disclosing his ties to the contractor, city officials said. Since last week, investigators have interviewed city officials and members of the selection committee that recruited and interviewed Chief Few in 1999. They have asked if Chief Few corrected errors in his resume or made any untrue claims. Stephen Harlan, former D.C. financial control board member and chairman of the fire chief search committee in 1999, yesterday said he has been questioned by the inspector general about Chief Few's resume and the selection process. "They were checking out what was said to the committee," he said. "What I can remember was he held an associate's degree, and we had checked it out." Mr. Harlan would not disclose more information. Lt. Raymond Sneed, president of the D.C. Fire Fighters Association Local 36 and a member of the selection committee, said he also has been interviewed by the inspector general's office about Chief Few's resume. "I think they are going back and double-checking the resume issue. They wanted to know at the time who dealt with the resume in the selection committee. They wanted to verify the resume issue," Lt. Sneed said yesterday. Gloria Johnson, chief of staff and spokeswoman for the inspector general, said she could not comment. Lisa Bass, spokeswoman for the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, said she was not aware of the inspector general's investigation. Miss Bass also said Chief Garland has decided to resign effective May 26. The Washington Times first reported March 13 that Chief Garland, Assistant Chief Marcus R. Anderson and Deputy Chief Bruce A. Cowan lied in their resumes about having held the rank of chief in their previous jobs in the East Point, Ga., Fire Department. The firefighters, whose resumes also had errors about their educational achievements, were friends and subordinates of Chief Few when he led the East Point Fire Department in the 1990s. The Washington Post reported April 12 that Chief Few's resume erroneously stated that he had received a bachelor's degree from Morris Brown College in Atlanta and received the "1998 Fire Chief of the Year" award from the International Association of Fire Fighters, which does not bestow such awards. City Administrator John Koskinen, who investigated the resume scandal for six weeks, said all four chiefs were disciplined in the matter on April 26. Chief Garland's resignation comes one month after he was suspended for falsely claiming on his job application that he held an associate's degree from Dillard University in New Orleans. The university has no record of his enrollment or attendance. Chief Garland claimed a secretary made the error in his job application and his resume. Chief Anderson returned to work last week and Chief Cowan was back at work yesterday. Neither would comment. Chief Garland would not comment, and his attorney, Vandy L. Jamison Jr., did not return telephone calls. Lt. Sneed yesterday said investigators also questioned him about how the city law was changed to allow Chief Few to appoint Chiefs Garland, Anderson and Cowan without competition. At the request of Mayor Anthony A. Williams, the D.C. Council approved the creation of three jobs

[MarshMan]

This boy stunk to high heaven from day one. It's time he is sent back to the pig farm where he belongs! The City Council should have picked the obvious front runner (FDNY Deputy Chief Paul Maniscalco) from the start instead of playing political correct games. If we are lucky, perhaps Chief Maniscalco won't laugh at us when we ask him to come on down to replace Ronnie Fewbrains.