The Anderson Fire Protection District has hired Neil Purcell, Jr., who retired April 28, 2006, as Anderson's Police Chief, to conduct an independent investigation of management practices within the fire district.
Meanwhile, district Fire Chief Joe Piccinini was placed on administrative leave with pay until the investigation is completed.
"We hired Neil Purcell Tuesday night (May 12) following our closed session," confirmed Norma Comnick, Anderson's Vice Mayor and one of three Anderson City Council members who also serve on the fire district's board of directors.
Keith Webster, Anderson's immediate past Mayor, serves as chairman of the fire district board, a position he has held since April. Anderson Mayor Butch Schaefer also serves on the fire district's governing board.
The Valley Post has also confirmed that Purcell, who currently resides in Big Sky, Mont., flew to Sacramento on Sunday, May 17, and was picked up at the airport there by Anderson Police Chief Dale Webb, whom Purcell had mentored for many years.
While conducting his investigation, Purcell will use a vacant office in Anderson's City Hall and will drive a city-owned vehicle previously assigned to an employee who had retired, Comnick said.
"We hope (the investigation) will only take a week," she explained, although some city staffers were told the investigation may take several weeks.
It is not yet known exactly what management practices Purcell might be investigating.
Dissatisfaction with Piccinini's performance first surfaced last summer after he worked for more than a month with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection headquartered at the Shasta District Fair grounds during the 2008 fire storm.
Piccinini joined the Anderson fire district as its chief in mid-October 2007. Before that, he served as Chief Officer and Chief of Finance and Communications in Tulsa, Okla.
Any city expenses incurred by the investigation will be repaid by the fire district, Comnick said.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 20
AndersonMom writes:
It's really sad to see Ms. Comnick put her claws into Chief Piccinini this way. If memory serves, she was the one who wanted the man now investigating this fired back in 2000. Regardless, Piccinini is an awesome individual and is loved by the people who work with him. Of course, I'm jaded. I've grown tired of Comnick's politics and the way Webster and Schafer do whatever she desires. Watching a city council meeting can make one nauseous. If they want true fairness in this board, they need to get Hunt or Yarbrough involved. At least they haven't been politicians so long that they've forgotten the need for true fairness. Keep your chin up, Chief. This will all be over soon.
sickofit writes:
Mom---well stated, yet this Comnick/Purcell thing goes so much deeper. I can assure you Purcell was guaranteed this job long before the Commision took its vote, much like he was all but hired before the Council voted on Sammis. Remember the BBQ that Comnick accused Purcell of drunk driving? Oh well, the council/commisioners have always taken votes far ahead of the "meeting" date. Too bad this paper and the Searchlight, (much less the spineless City Manager) have no reporters with guts enough to expose them.
tsky57 writes:
Make sure you read the editorial in today's paper...the editor is onto something and I'm hoping some investigative reporting will be done because when Comnick isn't getting her jollies trying to ruin someone elses life she is taking advantage of her position on the City Council to benefit her "friends". How about checking into who her biggest supporter is and who owned the building the city is purchasing for the future police station?? How about checking into why she went with the last fire chief to pick up a fire truck and detoured to Montana to visit Chief Purcell? Maybe check to see if she has ever pressured anyone into bending the fire/building codes for her "friends". There are many more skeletons in that womans closet than will ever come out in the paper but be assured that what ever Chief Piccinini is accused of it definately pales in comparison to what she has done and will continue to do until we vote her out of power.
Involucre writes:
Maybe the death bell is finally tolling for crooked politicians on various boards. We need a change in government accountability in Anderson. What a novel idea that democracy could actually exist and people wouldn't feel persecuted. Does anyone really believe the "Anderson, California: No Room for Racism, Hate or Violence" that we so proudly proclaim when entering our city?
ForAnderson writes:
You hit the nail on the head, tsky57. As a famous person once said, "There is something rotten in Denmark"(i.e.-Anderson) Today's editorial tells me that the political game is about up and the word is out. It would be very interesting to see just who all on that fire board and in the fire district has "dirty shorts"....and I do NOT believe it is the Fire Chief...perhaps an insider who wants his job, or fire board members who want the spot light off of themselves? Either way, I would say to those people, "You can run but you cannot hide. We know who you are and the citizens in Anderson are ready to face you down, so bring it on." You started it, we will finish it.
CuriosityKilledtheCouncilors writes:
From what I hear the investigation is STILL ongoing. Are they interviewing the Chief's kindergarten teachers...seriously, even for Anderson's usual dirty politics this is crazy. Has one of the networks contacted the fire council for a made-for-TV movie perhaps and that's why it's so drawn out? Fire season is just around the corner and we're still stuck in the usual backwards mode here dealing with the petty board members whims. We need a new group of fire and council members.
AccountabilityinAnderson writes:
Brown Act violations anyone? If there is any hungry attorney reading the boards you really should check out the repeated violations which continue to run rampant within the city of Anderson's so called council/boards. Some of these same council/board members have been known to gossip about the goings-on outside of their meetings thereby violating all kinds of laws.
Politics_in_Anderson#204177 writes:
Is Comnick finally getting her way and now she's the one running the fire district like she always wanted? Seems it's time to replace the fire board and the only way to do that is with a recall election of the 3 city council members. I sincerely hope that's the first agenda item of the new concerned citizens group. Perhaps we need a new form of government in Anderson, and do away with the city council altogether and have an elected mayor.
Involucre writes:
This is exactly what I'm saying Politics_in_Anderson. A change is due and we, as citizens, have the right to a fair government.
sickofit writes:
How about the time she wrote an anonymous letter to herself, and the rest of the council, and then acted on that very letter in seeking the termination of past police chief Sammis? Bet no one else on the council at that time, nor Scott Morgan, knew she was actually the letter writer. She was and I am sure is, well known for talking to all her friends, and anyone else who will listen about confidential city business, especially after closed-session.
Involucre writes:
Let's make no mistake sickofit, she's not the only one with dirty laundry. There are at least two or three who come to mind easily.
norcalaction writes:
Every day in the state of California-- a state, county, municipal, or special/independent district employee is accused of wrong doing. Agencies either conduct an internal investigation or hire an outside investigator to conduct an independent impartial investigation. Outside investigators are those who have no knowledge of the local politics, the local politicians, or any of the personnel involved in the questioning. One must question first why an internal investigation was not conducted; but more importantly, why a person who has been employed by and played in the political playpen by those requesting the investigation, has been selected. This action in no way lends itself to a fair independent impartial investigation. It will be interesting to see what the rendered judgment is after it is reviewed by a court of law.
tsky57 writes:
No way is this a fair and impartial investigation. I know for a fact that the "investigator" is guilty of many unethical practices. I have seen Neil Purcell drink and drive his police issue car, I know for a fact that he is not a loyal husband. Talk about living in a glass house!! sheesh.
I can only assume that the letters are all coming from voters because the "unholy trinity" of Comnick, Webster and Schaefer needs to be eliminated.
AccountabilityinAnderson writes:
How can Schaefer truly represent either the city council or fire board when all his strings are pulled by the puppet master Comnick? When the puppet master has been recalled and Schaefer has no one to spoon-feed him, how will he cope? He won't plain and simple, but then he'll have more time for his NASCAR "hobby" which keeps him from attending council/fire board meetings anyway. He wants to run for country supervisor but with no support from the voters how can that happen.
ConcernedAndersonCitizens writes:
We are here, make no mistake and we're speaking directly to you members of the fire board/council. We're watching, waiting and ready to ask the tough questions...yes, even those grand jury worthy ones.
We believe in the Chief. He has accomplished some very real and positive things for Anderson and has so much more planned. His heart and soul are truly here and all he has wanted to do has been to better his department for the benefit of the community. There is a reason why his badge is pinned exactly over his heart, and that is because he takes pride in being part of the brother and sisterhood of such a noble profession.
AndersonMom writes:
Hiring Chief Joe Piccinini was one of the biggest positives that Fire Board has ever done for Anderson. I hope the distorted desires of one woman doesn't mess that up. It's obvious to anybody with a brain that she wants a "yes man" and didn't get that in Joe so now she wants his head on a silver platter. To the rest of the Fire Board. Do Your Jobs! Keep Piccinini as our Fire Chief!!!
ForAnderson writes:
Concerned Citizens, please go to andersonvalleypost.com and vote as to whether or not there should be a Grand Jury investigation. I voted a resounding YES!!! (the sooner the better)It would be amazing to all of us to see just what would be uncovered...things certain long term city council members have concealed from the public...anonymous letters written by councilpersons is only the beginning...their misdeeds and coverups would fill a book...
Treachery_Runs_Deep writes:
In case many of you are not aware, the Anderson Fire Protection District board of directors will listen to public comments on the Chief at 7 p.m., June 11, Thursday, before going into closed session. We're not sure how much they will allow, but we encourage all those tired of what has been transpiring to show up and support Chief Piccinini. I know this is short notice, perhaps intentionally on their part. I also wonder what tricks the Unholy Trinity will have up their sleeves. I smell a trap.
snooperanderson writes:
I posted only once so far, sitting back just watching and waiting to see what would happen. But at this point this is stupid. But as the old saying goes "stupid is as stupid does". The one question I do have like so many others is, why someone like Diane Davis or Chuck Lebak (sp) of Redding who do these types of investigations were not asked to conduct this particular one.
You’re right about the short notice. So short a notice that they couldn’t wait for it to be published in the Valley Post, the real Anderson newspaper. Who wants to bet that Purcell doesn’t even have his “already guilty no matter what report” complete yet and that tonight’s meeting will have to be continued. Comnick’s puppet strings are more like a noose. Cruise ships are always needing good ventriloquist acts so I think she could take her show on the road. At least she would be employed and out of our town along with her other two sidekicks. Maybe Tom Brown will pay for this cruise just like the other one for Comnick. Conflict of interest anyone? I bet their association is so twisted and interlaced it’s going to take a grand jury to unravel.
AndersonMom writes:
A question regarding Purcell came up on another comment string...is he a licensed investigator for the state of California? According to several websites, including http://cali-pi.org Neil Purcell does not have a license to be a private investigator in Shasta County or California. I could not find online whether or not Purcell has retained his license to be a Peace Officer in California since he retired. From what I found, a licensed Peace Officer would have to search for that. If he didn't, it makes one wonder...is his investigation even legal? If it is, does this mean it is legal for any citizen in Anderson to have access to legal documents, conduct interviews, and access other information in order to hold an independent investigation into Comnick, Webster, and Schaefer? Just a thought.
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