9-1-1 Authority Fires CEO, Loses His Replacement
The El Paso-Teller County (Texas) 9-1-1 Authority terminated the contract of its CEO who was on paid administrative leave for “confidential personnel matters,” and its interim CEO resigned from the authority.James M. Anderson, the authority’s former CEO, was put on paid administrative leave on June 10 for “personnel matters,” according to the chairman of the authority’s board. On Wednesday, the board unanimously passed a motion to terminate Anderson’s contract, after an executive session that lasted more than an hour. Anderson was not present at the board meeting.
Anderson said he wouldn’t comment on the matter. He deferred all questions to Colorado Springs Fire Battalion Chief Mike Dalton, chairman of the authority’s board. The 9-1-1 authority is the administrative and “managing arm of the Emergency 9-1-1 system for both El Paso and Teller counties,” according to its website. Operation of the emergency system is funded by a $.70 per month surcharge on wireless and landline phones. Anderson started as CEO on Jan. 1, 2010, according to his employee contract, and was receiving a base salary of $110,801.60 per year, excluding benefits. He started working for the El Paso-Teller Enhanced 9-1-1system in January 1995, according to the authority’s website, and was responsible for “policy and procedure development” with the authority’s board of directors as CEO. On Wednesday, the board held two executive session meetings to receive “legal advice” on what actions to take, regarding the office of the CEO. The decision to terminate Anderson’s contract was announced after the first session. Dalton said he was “not going to discuss personnel matters” when asked why Anderson’s contract was terminated. Chief Information Officer John Norman was acting as interim CEO in Anderson’s place, but he resigned both positions effective Wednesday, Dalton said after the meeting. Dalton said he knew for a couple of weeks that Norman would resign, but wouldn’t discuss further why he did. An automatic reply to an email sent to Norman’s account asking for comment said that he is no longer an employee of the El Paso-Teller County 9-1-1 Authority. The board unanimously decided, after Wednesday’s second session, to appoint Dalton and Colorado Springs Police Deputy Chief Mark Smith, a board member, to identify interim candidates to serve for a period no greater than six months. The board said that the salary for the interim head should not exceed $8,000 per month, excluding benefits. Dalton said he would serve in Anderson’s place in the meantime. |