Details absent as fire board tells attorney to take action

VOLUMINOUS REPORT:
Anderson Fire Protection District board member Butch Schaefer sits behind one copy of the district’s investigation of Chief Joe Piccinini.

Anderson residents will have to wait to find out the fate of their fire chief. Members of the Anderson Fire Protection District board came out of closed session Thursday night and cryptically announced that they "gave our attorney direction."

Board chairman Keith Webster did not comment on whether the board made a decision regarding the employment of Anderson Fire Protection District Chief Joe Piccinini, who has been on paid leave since an investigation began May 12, or if the board had completed its review of the probe.

No new special meetings were scheduled by the board, Webster said.

The investigation of Piccinini sat in large white binders, several inches thick, in front of the district board Thursday night. The oard adjourned from their closed session an hour later at 8:15 p.m. That's when Webster announced the board "gave our attorney direction."

Webster did not comment whether the board made a decision regarding Piccinini's employment or if the board had completed its review of the investigation.

Piccinini, who was not present at the meeting in open session, said he had not yet heard from the district's attorney and made no comment on the proceedings during a phone call at about 9 p.m.

Piccinini's attorney reiterated the chief's preference that "all confidential discussions pertaining to this matter must and should remain in closed session as we have previously discussed," according to the district's attorney Mike Fitzpatrick.

No new special meetings were scheduled by the board, Webster said.

In contrast to the well-attended June 11 district board meeting, only about 15 people who were not firefighters attended the June 25 meeting — and none of whom addressed the board during open session.

Only district captain Jason Bellinger spoke, countering comments made on www.andersonvalleypost.com that discussed the fire district board and the investigation of Piccinini. The media, he said, portrayed the district board members and employees as corrupt. As he spoke, all firefighters in the audience stood with him.

"When we, your firefighters need help . . . who can we call?" Bellinger read from a prepared statement. "It was unanimously decided to acquire the help of our fire board in regards to numerous situations of concern that were terribly affecting morale, liability, and the harmony of our work place. At no time has any of the fire district members been bribed, coerced, or threatened by our fire board into any testimonies given during this investigation. Please remember, we went to them for help. . . .

"I present the community and the Anderson Fire Protection District board of directors a majority ‘vote of no confidence' of Mr. Piccinini," Bellinger said, adding that of the district's 28 members, 23 voted no confidence, three abstained and two were unable to contact. " . . . Votes were voluntarily cast by the members own free will and without coercion."

In open session, the board voted unanimously to, as board chairman Keith Webster read, "invite the Grand Jury to look into (the district's) activities, not because of any identified irregularities but to demonstrate its openness to public scrutiny and to improve District policies and procedures if the Grand Jury makes recommendations for changes."

"The sooner the better," board member Butch Schaefer said.

Responding to Valley Post inquiry as to whether the district board gave proper notice of tonight's meeting regarding to the Board's Grand Jury investigation considerations, Fitzpatrick said that the Brown Act requires only 24 hours of advance notice under section 54956.

"The Brown Act permits legislative bodies of local agencies to hold ‘special meetings' on 24 hours' notice, provided certain steps are taken," according to Katherine Keating of Holme Roberts & Owen LLP, general counsel for the California First Amendment Coalition.