St. Albert looks for new top fire chief after six months of turbulence

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St. Albert is searching for a new, permanent fire chief after months of leadership turbulence.

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Two people have filled the acting chief role in the last six months. Chief Bernd Gretzinger stepped back from his duties in February after Postmedia reported that at least two of the city’s seven chiefs allegedly “jumped queue” to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The union didn’t disclose which leaders were involved.

Deputy chief Scott Wilde took the helm on Gretzinger’s departure but was replaced by deputy chief Vern Elliott in June after unionized firefighters held a non-confidence vote in Wilde’s leadership. Now the city says it’s looking to fill the top position permanently.

“The Director, Emergency Services (Fire Chief) is a vital position for the City, so we have decided to move forward with recruitment of a permanent position,” spokesperson Amy Nastase said in an email Wednesday.

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“Out of respect for our colleagues, in addition to respecting their privacy and confidentiality, the City will not be commenting further on any personnel matters.”

The job posting closed Wednesday. The city also had a job opening for a deputy chief earlier this month.

Firefighters haven’t seen Gretzinger or deputy chief Chris Varga since February, and Wilde hasn’t been seen since June, two sources in the department told Postmedia.

Reached Thursday by phone, Wilde said he’s still a deputy chief and on holiday until September, and he didn’t have anything to say about the non-confidence vote.

Wilde didn’t have advice to offer the next chief, but asked what he would like to see in whoever takes on the position, he said “good leadership, and taking the city’s best interest.”

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An email sent to Varga’s work email was returned with a message saying he will be away until May 1 of this year, while his voicemail says he is away until Feb. 20, 2021. Gretzinger did not respond to an email requesting comment Thursday.

Gretzinger, who took the top spot in Jan. 2019, was previously suspended for two weeks without pay. He took leave after a photo of him wearing blackface at a Halloween party in 2016 surfaced in Sept. 2019.

His predecessor Keven Lefebvre left the city after only six months on the job in Aug. 2018, according to local reports.

The City of St. Albert has repeatedly refused to explain the chiefs’ absences this year saying they can’t comment on “personnel issues” for privacy reasons. The city would only confirm Gretzinger, Wilde and Varga are still employed by the city and retain their previous titles.

Mayor Cathy Heron did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. She previously refused to comment publicly on the fire department’s issues. However, in February she wrote on a post in a St. Albert Facebook group that the city was investigating the queue-jumping allegations, and it was a “poor decision to get vaccinated ahead of those that are actually providing front line services every day.”

lboothby@postmedia.com

@laurby