North Highline Fire Chief Scott LeVielle Resigns
Scott LeVielle
North Highline Fire Chief Scott LeVielle announced on Monday (Dec. 21) that he will step aside, clearing the way for adoption of a reduced but balanced 2010 budget for Fire District 11.
The $4,817,185 operating budget for next year then was adopted unanimously by fire district commissioners.
LeVielle’s resignation will take effect on Feb. 28. His current annual salary is $186,362.
Burien/Normandy Park (District 2) Fire Chief Mike Marrs will become chief for both departments. Other fire chief services and training and inspection services also will be consolidated under Fire District 2.
“With that … we are in the black,” Fire Commission Chairman Ron Malispino said before approval of the budget.
“A lot of effort went into this [agreement with the fire chiefs' and firefighters' locals of the IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters), and with Fire District 2]. A lot of effort. We need to do it and we need to do it right away. We can’t just operate anymore.”
The departure of LeVielle, who became chief at the end of 2006, and the department’s training secretary – coupled with consolidated services with Fire District 2 – will save North Highline $581,720 in salary savings next year.
Both IAFF locals made salary and benefit concessions as part of the budget-balancing process, including reducing overtime and capping sick pay payoffs. Other cuts include the reduction of a variety of department expense items from $216,600 down to $159,220.
“It was a good collective bargaining process,” LeVielle told The B-Town Blog. “When you reach consensus, that is the best process. It does work.
“It makes sense for the two departments to work together,” he continued. “It made sense to have one chief and to cut costs, including support services, over the next two years. I needed to step down to keep the department’s budget above water.”
LeVielle’s move will save two or three North Highline firefighter positions – no firefighters currently employed by the department will be laid off.
While the consolidation agreement between the Burien/Normandy Park and North Highline departments is not a merger, “there is a lot of operational consolidation, functional consolidation, of existing operations at a higher level,” Marrs said.
“This is an important first step toward making everything work and enhance existing services. This is a big commitment by District 11 to continue its level of service.”
Marrs added that it’s “good for District 2 citizens given the large area of north Burien and the [North Highline] annexation area,” but a lot of work to implement the consolidation remains to be done.
The consolidation of administrative services will take place by the end of February. Training, inspection and other operational services are expected to be fully concluded by the end of 2011, LaVielle said.
LeVielle replaced former North Highline Fire Chief Russ Pritchard when he retired at the end of 2006. In a move that generated considerable controversy at the time, District 11 commissioners increased Pritchard’s salary from $125,664 to $198,000 for the final months of 2006 as a retirement package for him.
Under a revised retirement-compensation policy, LeVielle will receive one year’s salary plus standard buyouts for accrued vacation and sick leave.
Fire District 11 commissioners would have faced the need to reduce services without the collective-bargaining agreement and the consolidation agreement with Fire District 2.
Reduced assessed property values in North Highline, the impact of annexation of part of the North Highline area by Burien in 2010, and administrative costs all contributed to the department’s budget problems.
The B-Town Blog requested copies of the North Highline department’s detailed 2010 budget and the two separation agreements. The budget was made available late Monday afternoon and the separation agreements will be available after Dec. 31 if, under state law, the respective individuals do not file a legal objection.
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This man has served this community for nearly 30 years in all kinds of capacities. You could at least show some respect and spell his name correctly: LaVielle.
Sorry about that – it was a typo and has been fixed. Thanks for the comment!
Thank you Scott for serving or community and doing a super job. We will definitely miss you. To sacrifice your job to save fire fighter positions was a nobel action.
Thanks Scott for a job well done. You service to the community ha been immeasurable. Sacrificing your job to save fire fighter positions shows what kind if man you are. You will be missed
Greg Duff
Interesting spin on this article, as it gives the impression that Chief LaVielle is selflessly stepping down to ensure firefighters on the street don't lose their jobs.
Well, part of that is true…
It seems the Highline Times could've done a much more thourough article, and explained how the fire commissioners of the NHFD first gave former fire chief Russ Pritchard a HUGE bump in his salary just prior to retirement. Which by the way, helps to determine what his retirement will be. More money in your final years of employment = a much higher pension.
Interesting spin on this article, as it gives the impression that Chief LaVielle is selflessly stepping down to ensure firefighters on the street don't lose their jobs.
Well, part of that is true…
It seems the Highline Times could've done a much more thourough article, and explained how the fire commissioners of the NHFD first gave former fire chief Russ Pritchard a HUGE bump in his salary just prior to retirement. Which by the way, helps to determine what his retirement will be. More money in your final years of employment = a much higher pension.
Oh and by the way, guess who was one of Russ Pritchards boss' at North Highline Fire? None other than Ron Malaspino–who happened to be the manager of Water District 20 during that time. And guess who Mr. Malaspino's boss was Water District 20 at the time? Well none other that Water District 20 commissioner Russ Pritchard! Just a little bit of quid pro quo?
And remember when Russ Pritchards outrageously high salary became an issue (as reported in the HT's), Mr. Malaspino proclaimed that the next chief won't get "nearly that much." True. The next chief got WAY MORE!
The leaders and administrators of North Highline Fire have exhibited a horrendous ability to properly manage the peoples money, and should be ashamed of themselves. There's probably even grounds for a recall if the issue was pushed.
Hopefully the departure of Scott LaVielle and the commissioners contracting with another agency will help to ensure no services are lost or decreased.
Absolutely hilarious!
All of you people were snowed by "Chief LaVielle". He is a horrible excuse for a chief. You all never saw behind the scenes. He is the reason NHFD is in the toilet. He didn't step down because he is a good guy. Far from it. He was forced out by a united union and citizens that saw through his guise.
Meaningless medals and titles didn't help him with the position. He couldn't make a decision and saying yes to everything frequently got him and the department in trouble.
He is using his "sacrifice" as an easy way out and to save face. Do not fall for it.
He will not be missed. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
I forgot to mention something about your beloved “Chief” LaVielle.
During the memorial if the 4 Lakewood Police officers, he fell asleep during the event in the Tacoma Dome. He was also witnessed putting a wad of chew in his mouth. Several police and fire people looked at him and just shook their heads. How much more disrespectful can one get? What an embarrassment.
sounds to me you are a unhappy person in full of hatred and there are alot of haters out there that are writting coments. i really think you are jealous and cause you haven;t done nice things for your community. CHIEF LAVIELLE is a hero he has worked hard for where he is now he will be missed i'm sure he will be around to continue to lend a hand to the community he is loved from a lot of people and he is a great chief well done LAVIELLE keep up the good work best to you
The true heros are North Highline’s Fire Fighters who put their lives on the line for less than one-third of the chief's salary. They deserve our thanks for speaking truth to power and helping to bring about a change that was long overdue.
They knew the chief’s $186,362 salary (before benefits) was putting our safety at risk and they provided the leadership needed to deal with reality and solve the problem. Their unions submitted a balanced budget that called for the removal of Chief LaVielle and the training secretary (Commissioner Alishokis’ wife), working with District 2 and salary and benefit concessions for their members. Their letter to North Highline’s Fire Commissioners and Chief LaVielle is worh reading. It's included in the minutes of that meeting (also worth reading) at http://northhighlinefd.org/11-17-2009.pdf
Again, thanks to North Highline’s Fire Fighters for forging a path around the disaster that was waiting right around the corner.
Don't forget, that Cheif Lavielle has been the firefighter that has put his life on the line for 1/3 of the cheif salary. He has only been cheif for 2 years. What do you think was he was doing for the past 28 of those 30 years?
OMG, I had no clue what was going on in our NHFD and apparently more than most of us know. I am not able to attend the meetings because the NHFD Commissioners hold the NHFD meetings in the morning which brings some serious thought. Why do they hold the meetings in the morning? Everyone is at work just like me. All this new information about scandalous actions within our NHFD leads me to believe that is exactly why they have been holding these meetings while we are all at work… So we have no clue what is really going on and tax dollars are being spent out of control giving out some fat cat packages. I say we need to have the meetings in the evening so that the NHFD Commissioners can no longer go wild and what's up with the special intrest? We should hold a protest at NHFD until the meetings are moved to the evening so we know exactly what other kinds of scandals they are pulling on our community. Unbelievable.
Here is more fuel for the fire:
"Chief" LaVielle will net over $300,000 because of his severence package. WOW! Sign me up!!! Just as the unions worked diligently and got the budget passed (which the unions did all the work. Isn't that a Chief's job?), we went from a budget in the black to a budget in the red because of this selfish person and because of terrible commissioners. But wait, that's not all:
The training secretary, wife of current NHFD Commissioner Alishokis, is said to gain over $30,000 from her severence package. This really isn't helping our situation. The fleecing of NHFD needs to stop.
It might be easier to swallow if the Chief was worth something, but that certainly isn't the case here.
So, citizens of NHFD, right off the top you are losing a third of a million dollars because of fire department figure head mismanagement. Don't stand for it. Attend the next commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 19th, 2010. I think they are still at 8am, but I swear I heard something about a 9am start. 1243 SW 112th.
Is that all Cheif Lavielle will be getting? He is worth more than that after putting more than 30 years in for his services, half being volunteer hours I am sure.
I have seen Cheif Lavielle in this community more than any other Cheif or public figure in the area. He genuinely cares for people. His up bringing in a lower income neighborhood and community has made him a valuable asset to all he has served. With success and sacrafice that he has built his career on, there will always be the jealousy of others less successful. If anyone in this community hasplaced the heart and soul into this community that Cheif Lavielle has, this community would be a better place. You do not get where he i by simply waiting for hand outs.
Cheif thanks for serving the community with sacrafice and humility. any other department will be honored to have You serve their community. K. Hamilton
That's funny Mr./Mrs. Hamilton. He has applied to be Chief of several other communities to no avail. He has been turned down many times. They don't want him.
Please don't confuse my displeasure (along with most of the firefighters here) with jealousy. We are tired of him backstabbing us and running your fire department to the ground. You need to stop basing your opinions off of emotion and take a look at the facts. Maybe you should attend the next commissioners meeting and ask questions. Get involved.
The majority of the current firefighters were born and raised in this community. Our hearts and souls are here. That is why we work here. Not many of us have tried to get jobs elsewhere like he has. You need to take a second look at your "hero".
K. Hamilton, please open your eyes and start paying attention. The problem in NHFD is not jealousy on the part of our firefighters. It is arrogance and a sense of entitlement at the top. We live in one of the poorest communities in King County, but our Fire Chief has been making more than the Governor.
Contracting with District 2 for Chief’s services should have happened years ago – before we spent nearly $1,000,000 for Chief LaVielle. Our Fire Commissioners need to stop the bleeding by finalizing the contract with District 2 as soon as possible. We elect the Fire Commissioners. They are supposed to work for us.
Two of the three Fire Commissioners on the board are new. I encourage all of our Fire Commissioners to act on their responsibility to the people of North Highline. Moving their meetings to 7:00 in the evening so more working people can attend will be a good start.
Tomorrow’s meeting will start at 9:00 a.m.. Let’s hope the new board makes quick progress toward finalizing a contract with District 2 and rebuilding morale within the department. That won’t be easy. We should all try to attend and offer our encouragement.
Please educate me as I'm out of the loop of what's going on here. Who was responsible for the budget sinking the NHFD into the ground? Was it the Commissioners or the Chief?
The ultimate responsibility falls to the commissioners. The ultimate beneficiary of their decisions is the chief. The commissioners hired and agreed to pay him more than $186,000 a year plus benefits. Now that the district is on the brink of bankruptcy, the commissioners agreed to buy out his contract for approximately $300,000.
Enjoy your retirement , resignation Cheif lavielle. Hope everyone commenting will have better things to do with their time when you leave yur position. Good Luck.
Thank you for your service.
K. Hamilton
I think wanting to be informed is a good use of time. If I was able to attend the meetings I would know. I am glad these commentors are here to let us know whats happening. Unfortunately the commissioners hold the meetings during the day so alot of us are in the dark.
K. Hamilton must one of Lavielle's buds. Your comments just don't make any sense. According to you when it's time for me to retire I should get a large severance package as well. I have worked at North Highline Fire for nearly half my life. I also grew up in the lower income neighborhood. All we firefighters are entitled to is our pensions’. And that is just fine with me. That is all any civil servant is entitled to. Since we actually work with the people in the community I think we know how they feel about forking out cash for a snow job. Lavielle hasn't done a thing to save a life in years, he is actually putting lives in danger. Why? Firefighters may lose their jobs because of this idiot. He is such a hero! I don't know what he does in that office. He doesn’t even have any windows to stare out of!