Council ousts Pruitt, despite his defenders

In a 4-3 vote, the City Council on Thursday upheld City Manager David Willard’s decision to fire Michael Pruitt after nearly two years as Longview fire chief. The council’s decision followed a discussion before a standing-room-only crowd of more than 150 residents and comments from 18 speakers, who spoke on issues from race to diversity in the city’s workplaces to whether a clique mentality has damaged the fire department.

“This department has earned the respect of the citizens of Longview (and) has worked to be one of the finest fire departments in the state,” Mayor Jay Dean said, “and as your mayor, I don’t want to sacrifice that.”

Council members John Sims, Daryl Williams and Sidney Bell Willis — who all voted against the termination — wanted the council to form an independent panel to weigh the matter. Williams said he couldn’t fire an employee who had no negative evaluations or complaints in his personnel file.

“I’m supposed to decide in one week what (firefighters) said they’ve been suffering and going through in one year. I have no documentation to back that up,” Williams said. “If it was smoke there, then he should have been written up about the smoke before it turned into a fire.”

Ultimately, Dean and the remaining council members decided appointing an outside panel would only prolong what Willard and several Longview firefighters said was an irreparable relationship between the chief and his command staff.

“I’d love to have more time to think here. We don’t,” Councilman John Bolster said. “I really, really hate that this happened. But it’s past. It’s like a bad marriage.”

On advice from his attorney, Pruitt declined to comment after the vote.

“First, I would like for anyone to look into my personnel file. There is nothing negative there unless it was put in there the last three weeks,” Pruitt told the council before Thursday’s vote. “The allegations against me are untrue.”

More than a week ago, Willard and Pruitt had agreed to roughly a two-month observation period, according to city records.

On Nov. 2, Willard told Pruitt he was not pleased with Pruitt’s overall management of the fire department, according to a memo from Willard.

In the memo, Willard wrote he had concerns about the chief’s ability to control his anger, his micromanaging of subordinates and his lack of trust in firefighters’ ability to carry out their responsibilities. He instructed Pruitt to attend a leadership management program in Virginia and refrain from any involvement in disciplinary issues or micromanagement of subordinates within the fire department “to give your staff the freedom to carry out their responsibilities without fear of retribution.”

Before Thursday’s meeting, Pruitt said he agreed to go to Virginia and follow Willard’s instructions. Two days after getting the memo, Willard held another meeting with Pruitt and several members of the fire department command staff. The next day, Willard informed Pruitt he would ask for his resignation or fire him, Pruitt said.

“I have no idea (why the city manager changed his mind),” Pruitt said.

Willard told council members he decided to forgo the management training and two-month observation after Pruitt took no responsibility for any problems during the meeting with department command staff.

“After this meeting had concluded, Chief Pruitt had forfeited any credibility he had left,” Willard told the council.

Willard also cited comments Pruitt made Tuesday to the Longview News-Journal, in which he said Southwell was at fault for any discord in the fire department.

“Chief Southwell in no way deserves to be blamed for the failure of Chief Pruitt,” the city manager said. “That was an excellent example of why I have recommended his termination tonight … He blames others.”

Of the 18 residents and firefighters who spoke during public comment Thursday, 12 residents spoke in favor of retaining Pruitt.

Retired Longview firefighter Ken Everett said Pruitt’s termination resulted from a clique mentality among the fire department, one he said has existed since the 1970s.

“They don’t like him because he’s black,” said Everett, who is white. “I didn’t like it when you hired him, but fair is fair. … Give the man a chance. The clique is not going to let him have a chance.”

Gregg County Precinct 4 Commissioner John Mathis said the issue had strong racial overtones, urging the council to retain Pruitt and for the community to come together.

“If he didn’t have his credentials, y’all wouldn’t have hired him,” Mathis said.

Another retired firefighter, Wilbert Williams, told the council to let Pruitt have a chance to do his job.

Local volunteers Branden Johnson and Steve Crane also spoke in Pruitt’s favor. Johnson said a culture is developing before the city’s eyes that is not benefiting the greater good.

“I did not know that being the boss meant winning a popularity contest,” Johnson told council members. “You will be establishing major precedent for this community, one that will set us back at least 40 years.

“Unfortunately, this community does have a history of treating African Americans in a not-so-kind way, especially those in positions of power,” Crane added. “What I hear tonight is there’s some very serious problems. I don’t think that getting rid of the chief will get rid of your problems.”

No current firefighters spoke on Pruitt’s behalf.

“I represent 150 uniformed men and women, 94 percent of the department,” said department Capt. Wayne Oldham, president of the Longview Professional Firefighters Association. “We are here showing our support for the city manager on his decision to terminate Pruitt. … We feel there have been poor decisions made, and the lack of leadership has affected the pride and ownership in our department.”

Firefighter Kelcey Trotty recounted an Aug. 25 encounter with Pruitt during a paramedic class. As he stared at Pruitt on Thursday, Trotty told council members that Pruitt told him, “I hired you, and I can fire you.” He also said Pruitt twice told him that the encounter “never happened.”

Trotty said Pruitt’s comment came after Trotty’s participation in a Longview Professional Firefighters Association survey in which at least 40 percent of the 108 participating firefighters voiced a lack of confidence in the department’s administration.

“This is not about diversity. This is about job performance,” fire Capt. Steve Oram said. “The Longview Fire Department needed a leader very bad. We would not be here tonight, these things would not be in the newspaper, there would not be a survey if the leadership we need was in place.”
By Jimmy Isaac in The Longview News Journal