SAN CLEMENTE : Fire Chief Gets Vote of ‘No Confidence’

Fire Chief Jim W. Knight, who was given a vote of “no confidence” by the San Clemente Firemen’s Assn. last week, said Wednesday that he has no intention of stepping down and is confident that he can work out his problems with the 28-member association.

The no-confidence vote “certainly comes as a surprise,” said Knight, 47. “I’m very disappointed. I feel that the vote was an overreaction to frustrations that have been going on for a long time. I don’t feel that it was warranted.”

City, Fire Department and union officials contacted this week would not comment on what led to the union’s vote. But City Manager Michael W. Parness said he has “full confidence” in Knight’s ability to run the department, which includes 51 employees and three fire stations. Parness, Knight and Mayor Joseph Anderson criticized the firefighters’ association for taking what Parness called a “premature” vote, but Parness and Knight pledged to meet with association members to attempt to work out their differences.

“The task would have been much easier had I been approached prior to such drastic approach,” Parness said. “I think I could have intervened and tried to bring the parties closer together.”

Added Knight: “We were having some problems but nothing that I saw to be a major problem. There were no specific complaints that were written down or given to me that I could respond to.”

Capt. Jim Dahl, president of the firefighters’ association, refused to comment on the controversy Wednesday evening. He would only say that the association’s board of directors was about to hold a meeting to discuss the matter.

Earlier this week, Parness said there is “a high level of anxiety and tension” among all city employees because of the city’s budget problems, a situation he feels is partly responsible for the vote.

“People’s jobs and their security are at stake,” said Parness, who met with association members on Monday. “I think everyone’s emotions are a bit raw right now.”

He added that all sides have made a “firm commitment” to work out any problems.

“Many people believe that typically, (a no-confidence vote) is the last straw, and this is not the case,” Parness said. “It’s not like they won’t be happy unless the chief leaves. They’re expressing frustration and felt it was the appropriate way to get their message across.”

The vote was the latest blow to the department, which has a history of morale problems.

Knight was hired in January, 1991, to replace Chief Thomas F. Dailey, who resigned in July, 1990, amid a grand jury investigation of the department. The grand jury strongly criticized Dailey for allowing firemen to moonlight, but no criminal charges were filed and Dailey later denied that his resignation was prompted by the grand jury probe.

“When you come into an organization that has had problems, you can’t expect to be able to solve them in such a short time,” Knight said.