Resolution No. 27 – Censure of Rhoda Mae Kerr, Chief of The Austin Fire Department, Austin, TX
Resolution No. 27
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Resolutions Re: Censure of Rhoda Mae Kerr, Chief of The Austin Fire Department, Austin, TX –
Substitute Adopted Unanimously
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WHEREAS, IAFF Local 975 represents 1,129
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members of the Austin Fire Department who proudly
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serve and protect over 850,000 citizens of Austin,
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Texas; and
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WHEREAS, Austin Fire Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr
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has made a multitude of decisions and taken actions
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that have been detrimental to the safety of fire
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fighters and citizens of Austin; and
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WHEREAS, one of Chief Kerr’s first actions as
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Austin Fire Chief was to attempt to reduce 4-person
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staffing on certain engine companies; and
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WHEREAS, Chief Kerr passed over more than a
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hundred qualified higher-ranking officers, including
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thirty Battalion Chiefs and five Division Chiefs, and
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appointed two Lieutenants to the rank of Assistant
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Chief, leading to a race-discrimination lawsuit by
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two Battalion Chiefs, which resulted in a legal
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settlement ordering the Fire Department not to
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discriminate on the basis of race when making
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discretionary appointments to the ranks of Division
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Chief or Assistant Chief for seven years and costing
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the taxpayers $850,000; and
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WHEREAS, Chief Kerr oversaw a cadet hiring
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process in 2010 that was plagued with
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mismanagement at every step, including a leaked
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exam, improperly calculated rankings, and a poorly
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selected oral interview panel that resulted in a failed
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process that cost the taxpayers over $800,000; and
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WHEREAS, Chief Kerr oversaw a subsequent
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hiring process in 2012 that resulted in investigations
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by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
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and the Department of Justice and a subsequent
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proposed consent decree alleging that under Chief
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Kerr’s leadership, the Fire Department has engaged
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in “unlawful employment practices” in violation of
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Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and
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WHEREAS, Chief Kerr encourages and supports
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the subcontracting of Austin fire fighters’ jobs, which
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allows the City of Austin to annex without building
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new Austin fire stations; and
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WHEREAS, Chief Kerr acceded to the use of
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non-union civilians to perform wildland fire fighting
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activities within the City of Austin; and
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WHEREAS, Chief Kerr acceded to the use of
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non-union, non-Fire Department employees to
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perform wildland fire fighting activities within the
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City of Austin; and
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WHEREAS, during the Labor Day wildfires of
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2011, Chief Kerr was out of town on a golfing
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vacation and decided not to return to duty, leaving
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the subordinates to coordinate the response to the
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fires, which destroyed hundreds of homes and
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charred thousands of acres in Travis and neighboring
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counties; and
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WHEREAS, these decisions and actions have
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violated Collective Bargaining Agreements between
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Local 975 and the City of Austin, leading to
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grievances and litigation resulting in Local 975 being
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unnecessarily forced to engage in constant battles
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with the Austin Fire Department and the City of
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Austin to protect the interests of its members
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and the citizenry; therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That The International Association
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of Fire Fighters formally censures Fire Chief Rhoda
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Mae Kerr; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That notice of this censure be
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disseminated to Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr, all IAFF
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affiliates, and the International Association of Fire
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Chiefs (IAFC).
Submitted by: Local 975, Austin, TX
Cost Estimate: None
