Pensacola city officials have refused to speak with the media about the investigation of Fire Chief Matt Schmitt and Deputy Chief Joe Glover.
The one statement about the focus made by Assistant City Administrator Keith Wilkins to PNJ reporter Will Isern was not true. Wilkins told Isern the two men were not the focus of the investigation. A council member called Inweekly to say Assistant City Attorney Rusty Wells was privately telling the council the opposite.
Meanwhile, Schmitt and Glover have been removed from the city’s web page for Pensacola Fire Department – pensacolafire.com. David Allen is shown as the “(Acting) Interim Fire Chief.” There is even a message from him to the public.
It would appear city officials already know the outcome of the investigation.
As reported earlier, the city has changed its disciplinary appeals process, making it even more difficult for Schmitt and Glover to appeal any decision about their future with the city that comes out of the investigation.
The independent personnel board has been eliminated after the two nominations received from the employees – Kurt Larson and Maren Deweese – had pro-firefighter backgrounds. The mayor has been replaced as the final authority in the disciplinary change-of-command by City Administrator Eric Olson.
Inweekly found the new personnel manual was not uploaded to the city’s website until four hours after the dismissal of Schmitt and Glover.
The paper has asked for a copy of the notification to the employees of the changes in the disciplinary appeal process. The city has yet to provide it.