Fired City Maintenance Chief Seeking Reinstatement

A Glendale city building maintenance superintendent, who was fired last week after a probe into misconduct allegations, is seeking reinstatement through Glendale Civil Service Commission hearings slated to begin this week.

Paul Koehler, who supervised custodial services and communications repairs in city-owned buildings, was fired Oct. 3, said John F. Hoffman, the city’s personnel director. Hoffman said Koehler had been on a paid leave of absence since early July, when Glendale officials began an investigation into allegations about Koehler’s work.

The former superintendent has appealed to the Civil Service Commission, which was scheduled to begin reviewing the matter late Wednesday afternoon. Koehler, a Glendale resident, had been a city employee for three years in a post that pays about $64,000 annually.

Hoffman said the hearings will likely take several months to complete.

Citing confidentiality rules regarding city personnel, he refused to reveal the reasons for Koehler’s firing. He said the findings may become public if Koehler requests open appeal hearings.

Koehler’s attorney, David Cordier, said Wednesday that some of the allegations against his client are “pretty silly” and do not constitute grounds for dismissal.

He said one of the city’s charges was that Koehler took home junk wood to burn in a fireplace, but Cordier said that has been an accepted city practice for years.

“Allegations of mismanagement are absolutely contrary to his performance evaluations, which have been exemplary,” Cordier said.