Fire Chief Says Political Memo Was Sent : Conflict: Jeff Bowman confirms that city-owned computer system was improperly used to send campaign message from union president to Anaheim firefighters.

Fire Chief Jeff Bowman confirmed Friday that a firefighters union memo pressuring members to campaign for union-endorsed candidates was sent over a city-owned computer system.

The computer used to transmit the memo, which was issued under union President Gary Martin’s name, gives fire stations a quick and accurate way to communicate and is supposed to be used solely for department-related matters, Bowman said.

“We have made it quite clear that the computer message system is not to be used to distribute messages of a political or self-interest nature,” Bowman said.

The fire chief refused to say what punishment, if any, Martin could face from the department at the conclusion of the investigation. “That’s a personnel matter and it’s between me and the individual involved,” Bowman said.

City Atty. Jack L. White said Thursday that he was looking into the matter to determine if any laws were broken.

Martin has not returned calls for comment.

The memo, transmitted last Saturday, tells all union members that they must campaign this weekend for the candidates the union has endorsed in Tuesday’s election or risk being ostracized.

Although no candidates are mentioned by name in the memo, the union has endorsed Mayor Fred Hunter and Councilman William D. Ehrle for reelection.

“You that have not participated in (the campaign) leave me no choice but to publish your name as an individual that prefers to let your fellow firefighters do your work,” the memo says.

The memo goes on to say that the “only reason” the firefighters have received raises and have seen their benefits improve in recent years is that the candidates they have helped in previous elections sit on the City Council.

Hunter has not returned calls for comment, while Ehrle has said he does not condone the use of city equipment or threats to recruit campaign workers.

Councilman Bob D. Simpson, who is a former city fire chief, agreed that the memo was inappropriate, but said that it has been a common practice for the firefighters union to use city resources to disseminate information.

“If (this memo) were not for political purposes, no one would have said anything,” Simpson said.

Bowman said the computer message system is occasionally misused by union officials, but he said he does not condone the use of city equipment for union or political purposes.