Chief admits role in flier flap

MAT-SU — In a letter sent to Houston’s mayor, deputy mayor and city council, Houston Fire Chief Tom Hood admits distributing a controversial flier in the Meadow Lakes area speaking out against Proposition 6.

Proposition 6, which is on the Tuesday municipal ballot, would combine the Big Lake and Meadow Lakes fire service areas.

Hood, who denied putting fliers in area mailboxes in an interview with the Frontiersman last week, apologizes for his actions in the letter and says he will no longer distribute the flier.

“I made some awkward public comments in the Frontiersman diminishing my limited role distributing the fliers,” Hood says in the letter.

He also says that, although employed by Houston as its fire chief, he is also Meadow Lakes resident and taxpayer and distributed the flier on his own time, not while on duty.

On Saturday, Hood said he initially denied his involvement to the Frontiersman because he didn’t want to influence the issue personally. Hood stressed the flier was not a reflection of the Houston Fire Department’s opinion.

“I got a right to my opinion,” Hood said. “I didn’t know it was illegal to put fliers in the mailbox.”

The flier urges a “no” vote on the proposition to combine the Big Lake and Meadow Lakes Fire Service Areas. It also makes pointed attacks on Big Lake Fire Chief Bill Gamble, mentioning him by name and making claims Gamble wants to take Meadow Lakes tax dollars to use in Big Lake.

Houston Mayor Sandy McDonald acknowledged receiving Hood’s letter, which says that on Oct. 1 at about 1:30 p.m., he took the afternoon off and passed out about a dozen of the fliers.

“After distributing the dozen fliers, I was asked by representatives of the Big Lake and Meadow Lakes fire departments and a couple of Houston city councilmen to stay personally neutral on this issue,” Hood says in the letter. “I was told that the flier may not have all the facts correct. In response to these requests and in order to not damage the working relationship between the Houston, Big Lake and Meadow Lakes fire departments, I agreed to stay personally neutral on this issue until the election.”

McDonald said the issue of Hood’s conduct is a personnel matter and she declined to comment on the specifics of the controversy. As Hood’s supervisor, McDonald said she and the city council will address the situation.

On Friday, Gamble said the timing of the factually incorrect flier is unfortunate because it came out so close to the election. Fire officials in the area have been working for years to unify the departments, he said.

Gamble didn’t mince words when addressing the flier.

“It’s just a shame that one person can do so much damage and not have the guts to identify himself,” he said. “There is not one truth in the pamphlet.”

Besides misstating Big Lake’s Insurance Services Office rating, which comes from a company that rates risk — the flier says it’s a 10, which is a poor rating, when it actually is an 8b — there are other errors. In one paragraph, the flier claims the ISO rating will not improve with the consolidation.

But Meadow Lakes Fire Chief Rocky Jones said with the combined force of the two fire service areas, amounting to 12 responders rolling out on a call — an increase from the number of firefighters that respond now — it will provide an opportunity for another ISO audit.

That audit would likely improve the area’s rating, Jones said. An improved ISO rating could lower homeowner insurance rates.

Another claim on the flier that could be seen as most damaging to the consolidation effort says Meadow Lakes residents will see their property taxes go up. That is not correct, Jones said.

According to Jones, if Proposition 6 passes, residents will continue paying the current 1.49 per $100,000 mill rate.

The only way it could go up is if the Fire Service Area Board of Supervisors requests the Mat-Su Borough Assembly increase the mill rate, Jones said.

In one section, the flier even says Meadow Lakes Fire Department needs its “own fire chief.”

Jones, who is the chief, said that is obviously not true, and he also called the flier a pointed attack on Gamble.

“It’s a personal attack against Gamble,” Jones said. “When you read the brochure it’s not really anything that’s about facts.”

This isn’t Hood’s first brush with controversy. In 2001, he was fired from his job as Meadow Lakes Fire Chief by Mat-Su Borough Manager John Duffy following his arrest for allegedly assaulting three women, including his wife, at his Meadow Lakes restaurant.

The Mat-Su Borough, for its part, is staying out of the fracas.

Because Proposition 6 is a ballot initiative, the Borough remains neutral, Borough Manager John Duffy said.

That doesn’t mean the controversy will fizzle.

Bill Browne, chairman of the Meadow Lakes Fire Service Area Board of Supervisors, said he’s considering filing a complaint with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. Because of the glaring factual errors in the flier and that it was placed in mailboxes makes Hood’s actions illegal under APOC regulations, he said.

Browne added it’s too early to tell if the fliers will have a negative impact on Tuesday.

“I’ve had very good feedback from the community,” Browne said about Proposition 6. “The departments are trying to let everyone know what’s going on.”

More information about all Oct. 7 ballot propositions, including Proposition 6, can be found at www.matsugov.us/Election.

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.

HOOD'S LETTER

Below is a transcript of a letter on City of Houston Letterhead from the Office of the Fire Chief, Thomas L. Hood:

October 2nd, 2008

Mayor, Deputy Mayor

And City Council Members

This letter is in regards to the e-mail you received from Chief Rocky Jones of Meadow Lakes Fire Department. In this e-mail, he filed a complaint that I was seen distributing flyers in mailboxes opposing Prop. 6, the merger of the Big Lake and Meadow Lakes Fire Departments.

Officially, The Houston Fire Department has remained neutral on this issue. At the Mat-Su Chiefs Association meeting I abstained on voting on this issue.

I am a Meadowlakes (sic) resident, homeowner, and voter. I have a personal opinion on the proposed merger and I will be voting on the proposed merge October 7.

On my own time I did distribute up to a maximum of one dozen flyers. The flyers came from the Meadow Lakes Community Citizens Against Prop 6. I did not write the flyer nor did I print it. This flyer doesn’t have my name, the Houston Fire Department or the City of Houston mentioned in it.

On the day in questions, Wednesday, October 1st, 2008, at about 1:30 p.m., I had taken the afternoon off, was not on City time nor was I in a City vehicle.

After distributing the dozen flyers, I was asked by representatives of the Big Lake and Meadow Lakes Fire Departments and a couple of Houston City Councilmen to stay personally neutral on this issue. I was told that the flyer may not have all the facts correct.

In response to these requests and in order to not damage the working relationship between the Houston, Big Lake and Meadow Lakes Fire Departments I agreed to stay personally neutral on this issue until the election. I gave the remaining flyers to Wes (Hamrick), of the Big Lake Fire Department Board of Supervisors.

After agreeing to remain personally neutral for the balance of the election, I made some awkward public comments in the Frontiersman diminishing my limited role distributing the flyers. My intent was to try to maintain a neutral public position and back off from appearing to personally oppose the merger. I would like to express my regrets for any off the cuff incorrect comments I made. If I had stated that I had distributed the flyers it would appear that I was opposed to the merger and that would have upset supporters of the merger.

I will not be making any further public comments on the merger. I now know I may not put political flyers in mailboxes and will not do it again.

Thank you,

Thomas L Hood