Vardeman, Wiseman resign, Wallace appeals

WASILLA — Three chiefs at the top level of the borough’s Department of Emergency Services have now parted ways with the department.

Medical emergency services Chief Clint Vardeman did not give a reason for his departure in a letter setting his resignation date as April 20. Chief Gene Wiseman also resigned, though an effective date was not given.

And Chief Brian Wallace said borough officials had terminated him Thursday, April 2. He had appealed Friday and was waiting to see whether the appeals process would continue. Wallace is a 37-year veteran of emergency services work.

“It’s my understanding that Mr. Wiseman has resigned, though I don’t have the document in front of me,” said borough manager John Moosey.

Longtime Emergency Services Director Dennis Brodigan, previously slated to retire May 18 for personal reasons, resigned April 1, at his own request, according to borough officials.

The suspensions came after a union complaint. The complaint did not arise from a lawsuit over Public Employee Retirement System benefit eligibility, Moosey said. The borough has an existing lawsuit on that matter, he said. But Moosey declined to identify the specific nature of the concern.

“Essentially, it was a supervisory management concern,” he said.

Borough Emergency Manager Casey Cook had already been moved up to replace Vardeman on an interim basis, officials said. Borough officials also have replaced Dennis Brodigan on an interim basis, along with West Lakes Fire Department Chief Bill Gamble.

In his resignation letter, Vardeman thanked emergency service responders throughout the borough.

“It has been an honor to work with the dedicated emergency services responders, both full time and on call,” he wrote. “They are all dedicated people who put themselves in harm’s way daily to make the borough a safer and healthier place to live.”

He also made reference to Wallace and Wiseman.

“Chiefs Wallace and Wiseman are true EMS professionals,” he wrote. “The borough will be losing decades of dedicated experience if they ever leave our service.”

“Director Brodigan, Deputy Director Barkley, and Acting Deputy Director Cook are visionaries and leaders,” Vardeman added. “They put in untold hours of effort to ensure the department is able to respond to any and all emergencies and to educate the public regarding the needs of the community. It has been a privilege to work with them.”

Vardeman declined to elaborate further, other than to say that he had chosen April 20 because it was the end of the traditional two-week notice period, and that he was looking forward to resuming life as “a private citizen.”

Borough officials are still trying to determine details of a process for hiring a replacement for Brodigan. Any decision would be made within the borough’s executive branch, Moosey said.

Cook declined comment on personnel shuffles within the department. Gamble did not immediately return calls for comment Monday.

Contact Brian O’Connor at 352-2269, brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com, or on Twitter @reporterbriano.