Augusta City Administrator Odie Donald owes everybody an apology for his role in the fire chief selection process. Instead, he wrote a three-page letter filled with half-truths and lies in an attempt to try to explain, justify or totally confuse everybody about it.
In reading Donald’s 1,456-word letter to the mayor and commissioners, the only thing I can find that everyone can agree on is, “On December 1, 2020, Augusta’s former Fire Chief resigned from the post effective immediately.”
More from Sylvia Cooper: It All Comes Out in the Wash
Later that day, clouds gathered over the entire process, keeping the public and even many commissioners in the dark. The results were that the media had to take the city to court to force it to release the names of other finalists besides the one the city’s own recruiting company urged them not to consider. Worse yet, despite his second-lowest ranking of four finalists, commissioners voted 6-3 last week to hire DeKalb County Deputy Fire Chief Antonio Burden. (How he became one of the four finalists after Donald emailed HR Director Anita Rookard confirming the recruiting company’s five “candidates of interest,” which did not include Burden, and then telling Rookard he was interested in Burden is a bigger mystery than who, if anybody, actually told Donald to get him on the list.)
Stung by criticism that he’d insisted the recruiting firm include Burden among its candidates of interest, Donald wrote his letter, excerpts of which follow, along with The Augusta Press’ responses.
From Odie’s Letter:
In reading public reports related to the Fire Chief search and recruitment process, it has been implied that the Fire Chief search differs from that of other recruitments. Such assertions are incorrect. The recommended process is the same for each of the three recruitment actions (i.e., Utilities, Fire, Environmental Services) that have commenced since November of 2020. Staff, with the authorization of the Commission, has followed the following six (6) step process.
The Augusta Press’ Response:
Commissioners confirmed this was the FIRST and ONLY time they have not received FULL resumes and the MATRIX on the candidates. This was also the FIRST time this HR firm was used. This process was different than any other. Donald’s NEW WAY is not the way it was done before him. Those are the only ones who have been hired, from what we understand, as department heads since he started.
From Odie’s Letter:
While recent litigation would assert that the interviews conducted by the Commission were those of finalists, the Commission had a variety of options prior to naming multiple finalists or a sole finalist.
The Augusta Press’ Response:
Emails from GOVHR, prior to the interviews, showed that the four interviewed were finalists whose information would be subject to open records. All four finalists agreed to move forward with that condition. Only the City of Augusta felt the information shouldn’t be released. The HR firm and the candidates knew they would have to disclose their info. The city thought it could get around it using Donald’s NEW WAY. That email is below:
From: Tim Sashko
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2021 3:03 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Augusta Fire Chief InterviewUpdate
Chiefs, one important item for your personal attention needs.
The interview on Thursday will consist of the Commission. With that, there is the potential of full disclosure as a candidate for this process. Please make sure you are positioned as you would like to be as a candidate for any public statements that can be developed from the process Thursday. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
[adrotate banner=”28″]
From Odie’s Letter:
Role of the Administrator
It has also been inaccurately reported that the Administrator placed a candidate in the pool. This is also incorrect.
The Augusta Press’ Response:
The following two emails make it very clear that Donald added Burden and Adam House; the latter was probably just thrown in as a red herring.
Email 1.
From: Odie Donald
Sent: Friday, March 26, 2021 1:00 PM
To: Anita Rookard
Subject: Candidates
Good afternoon Director Rookard, I’d like to confirm the following as candidates of interest Marion Blackwell, Anthony Jackson, Carl Randolph, Sr., Mickil Smith, Sterling jones. I was also interested in the following, although not included in packet. Antonio Burden (DeKalb County, GA) Adam House (Sacramento, CA)
Email 2
Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] FW: Email from Odie Donald
Date: Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 5:52:58 PM
From: Odie Donald To: Joe Edge, Scott Hudson
Good evening, While multiple team members narrow down the list, ultimately, I authorize the recommended list of initial interviews of all executive candidates including all who were included in this process.
Regards, Odie Donald II, MBA
From Odie’s Letter:
While the vendor is a conduit for the sourcing and vetting of candidates, it would be an abdication of duty to leave them as the sole actor within the recruitment process.
The Augusta Press’ Response:
Why hire the HR firm then? They had 51 candidates. Plenty of tier 1 and tier 2. Tier 2 never get picked, according to GovHR. Why add someone below tier 2? If we are one of the “nation’s elite fire service departments,” shouldn’t we be able to attract a tier 1 candidate? Don’t we deserve a top candidate rather than someone the HR firm we paid thousands of dollars to deemed unworthy? City officials abdicate their dutie to the people when they ignore the experts whom they paid to find qualified candidates. The search firm found qualified candidates. Its recommendations were ignored in favor of a hand-picked outsider.
From Odie’s Letter:
Fire Department Inclusion
There were also reports and statements that Fire Department leadership was not involved in the process. This is also false. Prior to the procurement of a firm, I met with the command staff both to introduce myself and to receive feedback on what they would envision as a leader. As a part of that meeting, I gave a commitment that a staff member would be a part of the administrative process from start to finish. That commitment was met as a member of the executive team participated in the procurement process and interviews as a part of the panel referred to the vendor consisting of Fire Chief interim (thirty-year veteran of the Fire Service), former fire chief in Metro ATL (thirty years of service in State’s largest market), EMA Director from central GA recognized as the best in state, former Fire Chief of the Year from metro Atlanta now in an advisement role statewide. That group of panelists interviewed and moved forward all candidates who went before the Commission.
The Augusta Press’ Response:
Yes, they included other fire departments outside of Augusta. They had a panel of a few from other fire departments in Democrat-led cities. But there was no input from the LOCAL fire department ranks. They flat-out ignored the fact that only 1 of 170 respondents to the survey from firefighters chose Burden. Most chose Sterling Jones or to start the process over. All commissioners received the survey results and just flat-out didn’t care what the local firefighters wanted. The people paid peanuts to protect us…they flat out ignored.
[adrotate banner=”19″]
From Odie’s Letter:
Assessment of the Process
During group conversations and in individual conversations with Commissioners, my stance has remained the same. Each of the initial candidates brought before the Commission has unique qualities that would allow them to serve well in Augusta. Of the four, all have served in similar sized regions, have a rank of Deputy Chief or better, have more than twenty-five years of service, hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and are in an upward trajectory within their current organization. It is the responsibility of the Commission to identify who they believe is the best personality and cultural fit for the department and to an extent the elected body.
The Augusta Press’ Response:
Burden got his bachelor’s degree last year from an online degree mill. If all four were so qualified why did the HR firm exclude Burden as not even a tier 2 candidate? Is Odie an HR professional? Is that what his degree is in? Can he read a resume better than the staff of a national search firm whose staff spends every day vetting candidates?
Question of the Week
In the last paragraph of his letter, Donald states that he believes the fire chief selection process has maintained its integrity. Who else in the city believes that besides Odie and the commissioners who voted for the worst possible candidate they could find?
A. Odie’s Mother
B. Burden’s Mother
C. Nobody
Correct Answer: C
Fire Chief Quiz
Question #1: If the city gives the fire chief a car, can he park it at a liquor store if the liquor store is on fire?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Only if he parks it in back of the liquor store so nobody can see it.
Question # 2: If a judge locks up the fire chief until he pays his back alimony, who will be in charge of the Augusta Fire Department?
A. The Deputy Assistant Chief
B. The Augusta Professional Firefighters Local
C. Commissioner Sammie Sias
Question #3: If the city pays a company more than $8,000 of taxpayers’ money to recruit and recommend finalists for the fire chief’s job, and city officials go against the company’s recommendations, what should happen?
A. Taxpayers should pack commission chambers at the next meeting and demand a refund.
B. The new chief should pay the administrator and commissioners a hiring bonus.
C. The administrator and commissioners should reimburse the taxpayers from their own pockets.
Answers to all questions: C
Memorial Day 2021
They want to tell you so much. They want you to know they’re okay with how it all ended. They were warriors. They knew what they faced every day and night. They knew the odds would probably never be in their favor. Still, they moved toward the danger through withering fire, watching buddies fall beside them as bullets tore through their ranks and mortar and artillery shells and rockets exploded all around them. Keep moving! Keep moving as long as you can.
More from Sylvia Cooper: Augusta Mayor is ‘Walking With Destiny’
The warriors lot never changes from one war to the next. Oh, things change around them, but their duty is the same and they know it well–to give their all if need be for God and country. For a wife. For children. For a girlfriend, and an oh-so tenuous future. For a home on a hill or on a shady street. For friends. For another beer and cigarettes. For a soft dry bed. For a chance that at least some of them will get out alive. They know some of them will never have the thing that is the force moving them forward. It is a fact of war. Some always fall. It is a terrible thing, this war. This mangling of men. We have not learned to live without it. Somehow, we learn to live without the fallen warriors, and that is why we have this solemn day to tell them in each our own way that we do still live–free because of their full measure of sacrifice. We have moved on in our lives but not without them ever in our hearts and memories.
Rest in Eternal Peace, Buddy and Jim and all you boys I saw waiting on a hot tarmac on LZ Baldy for the beginning of your last ride home.
By Ernie Rogers, Vietnam combat veteran
Sylvia Cooper is a Columnist with The Augusta Press. Reach her at sylvia.cooper@theaugustapress.com.
[adrotate banner=”45″]
