Chief receives final notice

March 18, 2007

By Russell Stigall

Frontiersman

WASILLA - The fate of suspended fire chief Jack Krill Jr. is in the hands of Borough Manager John Duffy, who likely will announce Monday that Krill

no longer has a job with the

borough.

Krill, who recently received a final termination notice from Duffy, has been refused another hearing, and the decision to retain or terminate Krill now is up to Duffy.

Krill was suspended in November after accusations of sexual harassment, retaliation, micromanagement, shouting and using profanity.

The sexual harassment charge was not pursued.

&#8220We didn't find the evidence sufficient to move forward,” Duffy said of that charge.

In a subsequent investigation, borough human resource manager Patricia Von Ah found several other issues the borough eventually used against Krill.

&#8220The way I look at it is that there is a preponderance of evidence that he has exercised poor judgment and poor management decisions,” Duffy said. &#8220We just cannot have our supervisors doing those kinds of things”

In a response to Duffy's final termination notice to Krill, Krill requested another meeting with the Wasilla-Lakes fire service area board. However, Duffy doesn't believe another meeting is necessary.

&#8220I saw his response and sent a response back to [borough attorney] Nicholas Spiropoulos, and unless I am told otherwise, I am not going to grant Krill's request,” Duffy said.

The fire service area board of supervisors is limited to advising the borough manager. At a FSA meeting in late April, the board voted to advise Duffy to reverse Krill's suspension and return him to duty.

Krill, who said he would return to his job if allowed, is a second-generation Mat-Su fire chief.

&#8220I've grown up here, moved here in 1985 when my dad was chief. The fire station is our second home,” he said.

Young for a fire chief, Krill, 31, earned his bachelor's and master's degrees with an eye on being chief.

&#8220It was my career goal. I didn't think it would happen this soon, but I'm glad it did,” Krill said.

Had he not been suspended, Dec. 1 would have been Krill's three-year mark as Mat-Su Central chief.

At a recent borough assembly meeting, Dan Tucker, Wasilla-Lakes FSA board member, commented on the drawn-out investigation against Krill.

When the process began, a timeline of about two weeks was given for a decision to be made, he said.

When the decision is announced Monday, 16 weeks will have gone by since Krill was suspended.

The investigation was extended due to new accusations, Duffy said.

&#8220It's like peeling the skin off an onion. You get another layer and you get another layer,” he said.

Delays also came from a month-long fire academy Krill attended early in the process, Duffy said.

&#8220Things have moved fairly quickly. Not as fast as I would have liked,” Duffy said.

Krill said he believes the investigation was faulty and there wasn't any call for

termination.

&#8220At this point, I have not been terminated,” Krill said Friday. &#8220I just wish it was over so I can get back to work, I can get back on track.”

Though Krill has yet to receive concrete notice that he is out of a job, Duffy's decision is forthcoming.

&#8220I provided my thoughts to the borough attorney and I'm hoping this can all be over Monday,” Duffy said.

Contact Russell Stigall at 352-2267 or russell.stigall@frontiersman.com.