Mayor Joe Ganim on Monday appointed Lance Edwards Acting Fire Chief following the resignation of Richard Thode who accepted a position in Danbury after decades of city service.
“Acting Fire Chief Edwards has served our community on various levels in the Bridgeport Fire Department,” stated Mayor Ganim. “We look forward to his leadership and contributions in this new role, while maintaining the safety of Bridgeport residents.”
Edwards has more than 30 years experience in firefighting and fire management. He started in 1988 in the town of Stratford as a firefighter, eventually moving up to the rank of lieutenant and then assistant chief prior to his service in Bridgeport.
Bridgeport’s City Charter does not require the mayor to conduct a national search upon the vacancy of the fire chief so Edwards may serve for an extended period.
*** Good choice Mayor, if you pick good qualify leaders for your city it will make your job a bit easier down the line! ***
Lennie, you said, “Bridgeport’s City Charter does not require the mayor to conduct a national search upon the vacancy of the fire chief so Edwards may serve for an extended period,” where did you get that from?
Sec. 211. – Tests for employment and promotion; lists.
(b)The personnel director may, from time to time, hold promotion tests for any or all positions in the competitive division of the classified service which are allocated to classes which have been or shall be established to be at the promotion level by the civil service commission. When a position in a promotion class shall become vacant, and no appropriate reemployment list or employment list exists, the personnel director shall, within one hundred and twenty days of the date of the creation of the vacancy, hold a promotion test for such class. (Amended 1986 referendum)(c)When an employment list for any class in the noncompetitive division of the classified service expires, the personnel director, within one hundred and twenty days of the date of such employment list expired, Shall hold examinations for the purpose of establishing an employment list for such class. (Amended, 1986 referendum)(d)Positions in the noncompetitive division of the classified service shall be filled by those persons who, upon proper noncompetitive examination, are certified by the personnel director as being qualified to discharge the duties of such positions.
Ron, I thought so too, but alas I am wrong. Police and fire chiefs no longer graduate from the ranks of Civil Service. The voters of Bridgeport decided roughly 30 years ago when it comes to the chiefs of police and fire they serve upwards of two, five-year terms, appointed by the mayor from a short list of three, albeit administered by Civil Service. Now, we know how that worked out for AJ Perez. I’ve checked with lawyers schooled in the City Charter. If former Mayor Tom Bucci, an expert in employment law, and retired Judge Carmen Lopez believed the mayor’s in violation of the charter, they’d let it be known. The chiefs of police and fire are appointed, unaffiliated positions.
Lennie, I understand what you are saying but the process didn’t change when a vacancy occurs. As for someone Acting in higher capacity the charter states the term is for 120 days.
This statement is but another patented lie told by Mayor Ganim, “Acting Fire Chief Edwards has served our community on various levels in the Bridgeport Fire Department,” stated Mayor Ganim.”
The fact is Edward’s has only served in one other position in the BFD, Executive Officer when he was appointed Acting Chief. You have Battalion Chief James Cook who has served the Bridgeport Fire Department for over 35 years as a firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain and currently Battalion Chief. He was in his current position years prior to Thode being promoted to Batt. Chief and could have been appointed Acting Chief just like they did for Thode. When Edward couldn’t pass the Lieutenants exam in Stratford and Ron Mackey and I bought him into the Firebird office over three weeks and trained him in how to pass an oral exam for Lieutenant while James Cook was already a Captain who fought more fires in a year than Edward’s fought his entire career in Stratford. Battalion Chief James Cook was passed over because he is a dues paying member of the Firebird Society and Edward’s didn’t join even though had it not been for two Firebird Society members he might not have ever passed his Lieutenants exam. Did I mention that Battalion Chief Cook is a lifelong Bridgeport resident, born and educated and the other guy, Not So Much.
Meanwhile, back at the P.D., it’ll be the usual, consistent and predictable outlay of cash as Bucci levels a lawsuit at Garcia, Ganim and the usual suspects on behalf of Lonnie Blackwell. Maybe a new “threatening note” needs to be left somewhere.
Cheers!!!!
Lance Edwards NEVER fought a fire in Bridgeport as a firefighter, a pumper engineer, Lieutenant, Captain or Battalion Chief. This is just another political move by Joe Ganim by placing a puppet like Edwards as the Acting Chief as his black candidate.
You should show more discretion with your aggression. Mayor Ganim backstops you on a regular basis.
The fire in Stratford is identical to the fire in Bridgeport. I’m making a valid point. If you disagree, prove me wrong.
LE, once again you talk about something that you know nothing about, the Bridgeport fire department is the busest in the state, it has high rise buildings, pulbic housing and high rise commercials, factories, two hospital. As anyone can see there’s really a big difference in training and experience fiighting fires in a city the size of Bridgeport than a small town like Stratford.
Stratford is a town with a of population (2013)• total 52,112 and population of (2010).
• Bridgeport with a population of 144,229 and • estimate (2019) 144,399
• Rank US: 172nd.
I know what I’m talking about.
Three years ago you promised you wouldn’t respond to me again.
Your response is weak. Fire is fire — I’ve had special training.
Your mind is my playground.
You made this post at 7:02a.m. that’s about right because 5 o’clock somewhere drinking time, sleep it off.
With a mustache like that, I wouldn’t try fighting a fire either. Heck, he shouldn’t bother taking a test. How can someone see the test with a mustache like that bellow the eyes?
Local Eyes, you said, “The fire in Stratford is identical to the fire in Bridgeport. I’m making a valid point. If you disagree, prove me wrong.” You are right, put the wet stuff n the red stuff, lot of fire lot of water, that’s world wide.
The point that I was making was about Lance Edwards who NEVER fought a fire in Bridgeport as a firefighter, a pumper engineer, Lieutenant, Captain or Battalion Chief. there’s really a big difference in training and experience fiighting fires in a city the size of Bridgeport than a small town like Stratford. Fighting a fire is one thing but leadership, managing and experience for the busiest fire department in Connecticut requires more than what Lance Edwards brings to the position.
(squinting) That’s your opinion. Fine.
But I’m suspicious of those who have no current value
and high current costs.