On 1620 AM, Andrew McKay interviewed the mayor of Pensacola today and asked for an update on the investigation of the fire chiefs. Mayor Hayward said it’s wrong for people to expect him to get the report and make a decision. He said the investigation has not ceased, and the report by Beggs & Lane was “not the end all, be all.”
“We want to make intelligent decisions and make sure that we’ve looked at everything,” said Hayward. “There’s things that can change the investigation.”
After being pressed by McKay, the mayor said, “…we have to finish reading the report and go over the report, and obviously our city attorney needs to review it as well and look at the options of what we’re talking about in the report.”
The mayor reiterated that he has been independent of the investigation, but did not say why he chose to be so. After all, he is the CEO. It’s understandable for the City Administrator and Chief Human Resources Officer to remove themselves, because the chiefs have filed EEOC complaints against them, but Mayor Hayward is not part of the EEOC or HR complaints.
Had the mayor monitored the progress of Beggs & Lane’s work, then he might have been in a better position to control costs and make a decision on a more timely basis. Maybe the public will better understand Hayward’s decision to stay outside of the investigation once we see the Beggs & Lane report.
On the radio, the mayor would not give a timetable for his final decision, any details of what was being investigated, or if other city employees might face disciplinary action. He would not commit to a press conference.
Here is the transcript of the interview on 1620 AM:
Andrew McKay: Every single week at this time we manage to speak to Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward, schedule permitting, and this week is no different. Mayor Hayward, welcome back to the Pensacola Morning News.
Ashton Hayward: Andrew, good morning. How are you?
Andrew McKay: Hey I am doing well. I am still surviving after last night’s presidential developments. It is what it is. Obviously you know, the first question we’re going to ask, obviously this is not a question. You’ve had the report about the fire chiefs in your hands for now about five days. After thirteen weeks of these two men being on paid administrative leave, everybody is tuning in and they want to hear from you what did the report reveal? What do we know? What do you have to say?
Ashton Hayward: Thanks for asking the question Andrew. We got it Friday afternoon. Started looking at the report on Monday and yesterday. I went on there last night and kept reading the report. We’re going to continue to do that. I think one of the most important things, Andrew, is it’s wrong for people to expect me to get this report and make the decision. I know that you’ve asked me the question and obviously the investigation has not ceased to be active. It’s not concluded. The report does not define the investigation. It’s not the end all, be all. I’m going over it with our city attorney, and we’re going to be very sensitive. As I said yesterday, I believe that Monday, we’re not going to make any ad hoc decisions. Obviously these are people’s lives that we’re talking about and people that have served the city. We want to make intelligent decisions and make sure that we’ve looked at everything. There’s things that can change the investigation.
Andrew McKay: Okay. Mayor Hayward, you and I get along really well. I have been extremely patient throughout this process. There are people who are screaming at me regularly to get more information out of you but I have said I’m going to wait and see what the report says, I’m going to wait and see what you say. I’m frustrated by that answer. We need more than just that. Can you tell us something, what it’s related to? What you’re likely to do, the disposition of the fire department. Is this related or not related to the EEOC? Is there some indication the nature of the concerns? These men have been on paid administrative leave for a full quarter now. I don’t think it’s fair to expect us to just not get something.
Ashton Hayward: I think the most important thing, as I said, is the investigation is still ongoing, and we have to finish reading the report and go over the report. And obviously our city attorney needs to review it as well and look at the options of what we’re talking about in the report. I think that’s the most important thing, Andrew. I think … and I respect what you’re saying and I understand that relationship, it’s not too intelligent to get the report then make the decision. I’ve been completely independent of that report, so I think you have to take the time to go over the report before you make any decision.
Andrew McKay:I think the other part of what you said a moment ago that raises red flags for me anyway is it sounded like what you were saying is, “I’ve got the report, I’ve read it or read most of it, we have to make these decisions in an appropriate manner.” It sounded to me like you were leaving open the possibility that this would essentially be an ongoing, continuing investigation and now we start to wonder sort of when. To be fair, I understand that fully digesting a 150-200 page report or whatever it is, thinking about the legal implications, thinking about the path forward and then I understand that there may be some time involved in that. Even though I want more answer I also understand. Can you at least promise us a time frame when we’re going to know something? Again it’s pretty frustrating.
Ashton Hayward: I agree totally. It’s frustrating. I think you and I talked a few weeks ago, Andrew ,about when you have departments within 1,000-person organization, there’s going to be things that come up, and “Being a boss” these are the hardest decisions. Obviously when you get this and you have to look at making decisions, the period of how long it took to do the report, I think they were very thorough with the report. And, as I said, we’re still going through it. I don’t anticipate it taking that long to make a decision, put it that way.
Andrew McKay: A week, two weeks, are you planning on doing a public press conference?
Ashton Hayward: I think obviously we’re’ going to share whatever decisions we make, Andrew, and go over it. Obviously I’m going to be talking to you and talking to the media about it most importantly. That’s number one.
Andrew McKay: Is a week enough time?
Ashton Hayward: I’m not going to give you a day or time, but we are working on it. And we’re going to get through it, and we’re going to discuss it, and we’re going to make intelligent decisions on this.
Andrew McKay: Like I said a minute ago, I actually am sympathetic to the idea that this might take even more than the five days since you’ve had it. I’m willing to continue to be patient because I get that.
Ashton Hayward: You can’t just get something and say, “All right let me just flip through it.” You have to be intelligent about it. You’ve got to be smart about it, and I think the most important thing is you have to look at it, you have to look at the information. Our city attorney needs to look at it, go through it with a fine-tooth comb, and we need to make the right decision. I think that’s very important for all parties involved.
Andrew McKay: I will, I guess one question I know some people are going to have. Obviously with the fire chiefs being investigated, the case against them being looked into, a lot of people have raised questions about whether anybody else in city hall is also potentially whether there might be actions against say Eric Olsen or anybody else? Is that also something that is at least under consideration in this entire process or can you comment on that?
Ashton Hayward: I can’t comment on that, but most importantly I think we’re not finished reviewing the document that we received. Like I said, I’m staying independent with that. I’m going over it with the city attorney that represents the city, and we want to make sure that we do the right thing and look at everything. I think that’s the most important, and that’s why it has not seen to be active. We’re moving forward.
Andrew McKay: As I said, frustrated but I understand the time frame and we look forward to quick resolution as well.
