City fire chief settlement ends 30-month saga

The 30-month dispute involving Colfax Fire Chief Ralph Walter, city officials and members of the fire department came to a formal end Friday night when city council members approved a $120,000 mediation settlement and a severance pay package of slightly more than $20,000.

Mayor Todd Vanek represented the city at the Dec. 13 mediation session.

The severance pay agreement calls for Walter to resign his position with the city as of Jan. 1.

Vanek said he believes the two votes at the special Friday night session will allow the city to resolve relationship problems in the fire department. The mayor added he didn’t believe problems in the department were caused solely by Chief Walter.

Friday’s special session included a 6-0 vote to approve the $120,000 settlement. The severance package was approved on a 5-1 vote with Councilman David Nails voting against it.

Nails before the vote went on record as opposing the severance package. He said he didn’t feel taxpayers in the city should have to pay the cost of the severance package. He added he felt it could set a precedent for other city employees.

Councilman Al Vorderbrueggen said he felt the city faced a special circumstance in resolving the fire chief dispute and favored approval of the package. Councilman Al Kackman agreed.

Councilwoman Jeanette Solomine said she was very sorry to see the city in a position where the fire chief feels he has to resign. She expressed her condolences to Chief Walter who was sitting in the back of the council chambers.

Vorderbrueggen inquired if the city has a plan in place to fill the vacancy left when the chief resigns, and Vanek said discussion on a new course of action is underway.

Mayor Vanek explained the severance package included five months of pay plus three months of medical insurance coverage.

The sums included pay amounts with normal pay deductions.

In response to another council inquiry, the mayor said Walter would receive payout of vacation and leave time in the same mode as any other departing employee.

The eight-minute special session Friday night ended a city hall dispute that dated back to Walter’s termination by former Mayor Norma Becker July 2, 2010. The legal suit was also the subject of city council executive sessions, including one at the Dec. 17 council session.

Vanek said Walter was represented at the Dec. 13 mediation session by his attorney, Ross White of Spokane. White filed the damage suit in superior court after a $501,494 claim for damages was filed against the city and rejected.

Vanek Monday night said the claim was rejected by the city’s insurance company, Canfield & Associates of Ephrata. Under the city’s insurance policy, the Ephrata firm would have been responsible for paying the claim, he said.

The mayor explained the severance pay agreement was not part of the settlement. He said negotiations for the severance package and Walter’s termination were reached after the settlement was concluded on the damage suit.

The settlement agreement dis not include a condition that Walter resign, the mayor said. .

The damage suit was filed by Ross on behalf of Walter last June 29 in superior court alleging damages from alleged faults in the city process which led to his termination.

After his termination in July of 2010, Walter filed an appeal with the city’s civil service board. That led to a civil service hearing which was brought to a sudden end when Mayor Becker decided to reverse he decision to terminate Walter, and decided to restored him to his job.

The Mayor said at the time testimony she heard during the first day of the Colfax civil service hearing Oct. 5, 2010, led her to change her mind. .She said at the time that she heard the first time during the hearing that Walter had made an effort to patch up his relationship with members of the volunteer fire department by attending a session and offering to do so. .

One of the reasons cited for Walter’s termination was that he had failed to make an effort to patch up poor relations with the fire department volunteers. .

Mayor Becker’s decision to restore Walter to the chief’s position came after one day of the civil service hearing. Thompson and and two other witnesses testified before the board. One of the other witnesses was Tom Pickett who was a personnel consultant for Canfield & Associates in Ephrata.

Although Ross cross-examined the city’s first witnesses, the hearing was halted before Walter’s side of the appeal could be presented. Ross had started the hearing process for a motion to have Walter reinstated to his position.

The city hired Michael McFarland, Jr., Spokane, to represent the city. A 107 page response was filed with the civil service board by McFarland before the start of the hearing.

McFarland also represented the city at the Dec. 13 mediation session. Frank Andrus of Ephrata represented Canfield.

The damage suit this year also alleged faults in evaluations which were conducted the the City Administrator Carl Thompson in the weeks leading up to Walter’s termination. The suit contended the evaluations required in the city’s personnel manual had never been conducted until the city began to take steps to terminate Walter.

Mayor Vanek noted the city’s insurance coverage included coverage for Becker and Thompson who were also listed as defendants in the damage suit.

In the weeks after Walter was terminated in 2010, his supporters packed a city council session and urged the mayor to reconsider her decision.

The settlement agreement did not include a condition that Walter resign, the mayor said.

The damage suit was filed by Ross on behalf of Walter last June 29 in superior court alleging damages from alleged faults in the city process which led to his termination.

After his termination in July of 2010, Walter filed an appeal with the city’s civil service board. That led to a civil service hearing which was brought to a sudden end when Mayor Becker decided to reverse the decision to terminate Walter and restored him to his job.

The Mayor said at the time testimony she heard during the first day of the Colfax civil service hearing Oct. 5, 2010, led her to change her mind. She said that she heard for the first time during the hearing that Walter had made an effort to patch up his relationship with members of the volunteer fire department by attending a training session and offering to do so.

One of the reasons cited for Walter’s termination was that he had failed to make an effort to patch up poor relations with the fire department volunteers.

Mayor Becker’s decision to restore Walter to the chief’s position came after one day of the civil service hearing. City Administrator Carl Thompson and two other witnesses testified before the board. One of the other witnesses was Tom Pickett who was a personnel consultant for Canfield & Associates in Ephrata.

Although Ross cross-examined the city’s first witnesses, the hearing was halted before Walter’s side of the appeal could be presented. Ross had started the hearing process for a motion to have Walter reinstated to his position.

The city hired Micheal McFarland, Jr., Spokane attorney, for its defense. A 107-page response was filed with the civil service board by McFarland before the start of the hearing.

McFarland also represented the city at the Dec. 13 mediation session. Frank Andrus of Ephrata represented Canfield.

The damage suit this year also alleged faults in evaluations which were conducted by Thompson in the weeks leading up to Walter’s termination. The suit contended the evaluations required in the city’s personnel manual had never been conducted until the city began to take steps to terminate Walter.

Mayor Vanek noted the city’s insurance coverage included coverage for Becker and Thompson who were also listed as defendants in the damage suit.

In the weeks after Walter was terminated in 2010, his supporters packed city council sessions and urged the mayor to reconsider her decision.