MN Chief Search Ongoing after Candidate Falls Through
By Nick Ferraro
Source Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
Hastings is searching for a fire chief again after negotiations with its first pick fizzled out.
In February, Brian Carlson, Burnsville’s assistant fire chief, accepted a conditional job offer from Hastings. But the hire fell apart last month, according to city officials.
“I can tell you that it didn’t work out,” said City Administrator Dan Wietecha, who declined to explain why.
Carlson said he is “not able to comment” on the job offer. “When I can release more info I will,” he said.
City Council Member Joe Balsanek brought up the failed hiring at the April 6 meeting, noting how the city issued a news release stating Carlson was offered the job. The city should hold off on releases until the process is complete, Balsanek said.
“This saves the city embarrassment, also saves the applicant embarrassment as well,” he said.
The job opened up in late August when Mike Schutt, the former chief, resigned from the job after an investigation found he used “poor judgment” during a training session, causing damage to the Hastings Police Department roof. Schutt had been the chief since 2007.
Following a search that led to 24 applicants, Carlson and Eagan Deputy Fire Chief Kip Springer were the two finalists interviewed by the public safety committee of the city council. The committee unanimously decided on Carlson, who joined the Burnsville Fire Department as assistant chief since 2006 following firefighter and paramedic jobs in Nevada.
Hastings approached Springer with an offer after the Carlson hiring didn’t work out. But Springer declined because, according to Wietecha, “some things in his life changed” since he became a finalist and “he essentially didn’t feel he was the same candidate.”
Wietecha said a new search has been on the back burner because of the coronavirus outbreak, but that the city hopes to move forward with it this month. In the meantime, Assistant Chief John Townsend will continue to serve as the acting chief.
“We’re in good hands with John, but I’m sure everybody would like to make sure we are getting to a permanent position,” Wietecha said.
The new chief will oversee a department that has about 43 firefighters — 18 of whom are full-time — and a budget that this year is about $4.4 million.
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