By Andrew Wellner
Anchorage Daily News
Copyright 2006 Anchorage Daily News
All Rights Reserved
WASILLA - Two days after he was suspended from his post as chief of the largest fire department in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Jack Krill said Wednesday that he believes he will eventually be re-instated.
Borough authorities on Monday placed Krill on paid leave from his position as fire chief of Central Mat-Su, also the Valley’s busiest fire department, pending an investigation. Krill said he’s unsure of the details of the complaints against him.
Borough Manager John Duffy said the borough doesn’t discuss personnel matters and declined comment as to what exactly they’re investigating.
For his part, Krill said he’s unsure how long the investigation will last. He said he couldn’t comment publicly about the complaints until he has retained a lawyer who can tell him what he can and cannot say. He knows what the allegations are, but the details are sketchy.
“Basically right now it’s just hearsay as far as I know,” Krill said. “Hopefully this will get resolved soon and we can get back to the great things we were doing.”
When he was suspended, his bosses initially told him to cancel a business trip he’d scheduled to start next Wednesday. He’d planned to head to his alma mater, Oklahoma State University, and interview candidates for summer internships at the department, then to Pennsylvania for a two-week firefighting course that’s a requirement for his position.
“I was told I could keep the trip because it was pretty critical,” Krill said. “If I get cleared of all this, I’ll get reimbursed.”
Krill’s suspension took a lot of people by surprise. Borough Assemblywoman Mary Kvalheim, who represents the district including the Wasilla-Lakes fire service area served by the Central Mat-Su department, said she talked to Krill the previous weekend about a fire code inspection program he’d initiated.
“I was telling him he ought to come before the Assembly soon and tell us all about it, and now he might not get to do that,” Kvalheim said.
Ken Slauson, chairman of the Wasilla-Lakes fire service area board of directors, said by e-mail that the timing of Krill’s removal was inconvenient as he and the board’s vice-chairman were out of town on business.
“Until we are briefed on the results of an independent investigation, with an adverse conclusion supported by facts, Chief Krill retains the confidence of the board,” Slauson said.
Slauson said Krill has done an “outstanding” job as chief. Still, budget time for the department is looming and without Krill, the architect of the budget, their proposal may be delayed.
Assistant chief Michael Keenan has taken over in Krill’s absence. He said he would handle Krill’s budget duties. The department has pitched in to help him fill Krill’s shoes.
“We’re just running the show as normal as if he was out of the area,” Keenan said. “It’s a tough time but we’re all just waiting” to hear where the investigation goes.
Krill said his phone never stops ringing with calls from people expressing their support.
The department employs about 170 responders, including firefighters, emergency medical specialists, Explorer scouts and auxiliaries, according to Krill. Most responders are part-time, paid volunteers.
Benny Cottle, a member of the department, said he supports the chief.
“The only thing I will say is I think the man is doing a great job,” Cottle said.
Krill has been chief for three years. In that time he’s overseen the purchase of new equipment and the hiring of a full-time fire service area assistant as well as the creation of an office of fire code inspection and compliance. Under his tenure, the department’s rating with the agency that helps determine homeowner insurance costs has dropped significantly.
“I’ve always done what’s right and what’s best. I guess I have faith those things will prevail in the end,” Krill said.