Misconduct Cited in City Official’s Firing

Glendale officials on Friday released documents stating that the city’s building maintenance superintendent was fired because of “gross misconduct” that included taking home city property and ordering employees to work on his personal projects.

Paul Koehler, who supervised custodial services and communications repairs in city buildings, was fired Oct. 3. The reasons for his dismissal were not disclosed until Friday. Koehler has appealed his dismissal to the Glendale Civil Service Commission, which will begin hearings next month.

His attorney, David Cordier, could not be reached for comment Friday. But in a recent interview, Cordier described some of the allegations as “pretty silly” and said Koehler’s performance evaluations have been exemplary.

An investigation by Glendale City Manager David Ramsay and Glendale police revealed that Koehler instructed one or more city employees “to take possession of tools belonging to private contractors” for use on city projects, the documents say. The tools allegedly included a pipe-cutting machine and a chop saw with a combined value of $2,250.

Koehler also ordered city employees or contractors to move a city-owned safe, a workbench and building materials to his house, investigators alleged. Koehler told city employees to build a dashboard for his personal ski boat and repair the boat’s radio, the documents say.

The city also alleged that Koehler “established six purchase orders totaling $34,856” for cabinet work performed by a Van Nuys business owned by his brother-in-law. The documents said Koehler exhibited poor judgment in failing to disclose the relationship to his supervisor.

The former superintendent also misappropriated city money and services for his personal model railroad hobby and ordered city workers to refurbish a lamp fixture and a barbecue that he owned, the documents allege.

Koehler, a Glendale resident, had been a city employee for three years in a post that pays about $64,000 annually, officials said.