California Fire Chief in Battle for His Career

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Sept. 15--STOCKTON -- Amid a battle for his career, Stockton Fire Chief Ron Hittle has received an invitation to defend himself against a list of accusations that have landed him on admin-istrative leave and made him the subject of an internal investigation.

But the same letter opening the door to Hittle for a meeting with Deputy City Manager Michael Locke also leaves little doubt that after it's over, he's going to be fired. The letter says Hittle's last day as a city employee could come as soon as Sept. 30.

The four-page letter sent to Hittle on Aug. 24 -- and now part of a lawsuit against the city over his job -- spells out 10 reasons City Manager Bob Deis wants the chief out for good.

Hittle's attendance at a Christian leadership conference on city time tops that list, but it's not the only reason.

Hittle, 48, a former union leader, also stands accused of being too cozy with the union and being a soft disciplinarian, among other complaints.

"The City intends to remove you because of incompatibility of management styles, change in administration, and your apparent inability ... to implement City goals and policies," the

letter says.

No one from City Hall would comment Wednesday on Hittle's fate or the letter, because it is a personnel issue, city spokeswoman Connie Cochran said. Hittle referred questions to his at tor ney.

Attorney Randy Thomas said he and Hittle fully intend to take up the invitation to the meeting originally set for today but rescheduled for Sept. 28.

Thomas fears it might turn into an interrogation on each point in the city's 300-page investigative report. Or it could be an opportunity for an honest discussion on a resolution to the dispute, he said.

In the end, Hittle only wants back his job as fire chief or to be allowed to resume work as a battalion chief, the position he held before his 2006 promotion, Thomas said.

Hittle has worked in the Stockton Fire Department for 24 years.

The discord stems from his attendance in 2010 at the twoday Global Leadership Summit in Livermore, which featured a list of Christian speakers and business leaders.

Thomas cautioned city leaders, whom he said first seized on Hittle's religious beliefs to oust him.

"Freedom of religion is a constitutional right," Thomas said. "You start screwing with that, you start screwing with constitutional rights." The city's investigation also accuses Hittle of violating his leadership role because he: --Approved the attendance of then-Deputy Chief Paul Wil-lette, Division Chief Matt Duaime and Fire Marshal Jonathan Smith at the same event.

--Failed to disclose that a citypaid consultant, George Liepart of Integrated Services Group, was Hittle's business partner in building a church school, and then allowed Liepart to post a photo of Hittle in his chief's uniform as an endorsement on Integrated's website.

--Failed to disclose a potential conflict of interest by being coowner of a cabin with Duaime and Capt. Dave Macedo, president of the firefighters union.

--Allowed on-duty firefighters to use city equipment to clean the union hall.

--Told department internal affairs investigator Mark Lujan that firefighters were upset he displayed a "Yes on Measure H" sign on his lawn.

Hittle was put on paid admin-istrative leaveinMarch.Thomas said his client is now on medical leave after knee surgery.

Firefighter Gregory Biddle, vice president of the Stockton Professional Firefighters Local 456, said he didn't want to get in the middle of a he-said, she-said tussle between Hittle and the city.

But he dismissed the city's claim Hittle was too close with firefighters.

In fact, he said firefighters grew dissatisfied with Hittle, whom they depended on to give city leaders the blunt truth about looming cuts. In the end, they lost 36 firefighters to layoffs.

"We saw the police chief do for his department what we expected our chief to do," Biddle said. "It didn't happen."

The dispute over his job status also prompted Hittle to sue the city. San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Lesley Holland took the case.

Arguing on Hittle's behalf, Thomas said his client became chief when the city charter dictated his position was permanent, and he could only be fired through the civil service administrative process, like all firefighters.

Last year, Stockton voters approved Measure H, which made the fire chief an at-will employee of the city manager, among far-reaching provisions to gain more control of the Fire Department. As a result, the city maintains that Hittle is subject to the new rules.

In court Tuesday, Thomas urged the judge to step in and determine if the new or old rules now apply to Hittle. Holland said that before weighing in, he wants to see how the city next treats Hittle.

The judge is scheduled to hear the case again next month.

According to Thomas' reading of the law, his client is entitled to having his job back.

"Under the law, its clear to me," he said. "It's right there in the city charter."

Contact reporter Scott Smith at (209) 546-8296 or [email protected]. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/ smithblog.