C.F. fire chief out of a job

After four years and two months as fire chief and marshal for Columbia Falls, Bob Webber is out of a job.

"Bob does not work for the city any more," City Manager Bill Shaw said Wednesday morning.

Webber backed that up in a late afternoon call, but was unable to give any background.

"I am actually not allowed to comment on that," Webber said. "What I will do for you is confirm I am not employed by the city any more.

"It was an honor serving the city of Columbia Falls and I will miss that absolutely."

The Columbia Falls City Council held a closed meeting June 15 to discuss potential litigation. City Manager Bill Shaw and Webber both said his last day of work was June 16.

Shaw said Webber was not at the executive session, nor was there any need for him to attend. Webber said he was unaware the meeting was being held.

"We didn't discuss any issue that dealt with any issue regarding Bob," Shaw said. "We were discussing potential litigation, but nothing regarding Bob's performance that he would have had to be present for.

"I don't know what will happen with respect to issues that could arise," he continued. "We could potentially have to defend ourselves."

Shawn Bates, president of the Columbia Falls Volunteer Firefighters Association, declined comment on the matter.

"Based on what happened, I really don't have a comment on that," Bates said. "We're just going to keep that to ourselves, the firefighters association."

Webber was the chief of the 19-member volunteer fire department since April 2005. A professional firefighter who had more than 20 years' experience at the time, he came to Columbia Falls from his job as a battalion chief and assistant director of fire services for Pinkerton Government Services Inc., in El Segundo, Calif. He and his family had moved here from Wrightwood, Calif., about 90 minutes east of Los Angeles.

The city hired Webber to fill a vacancy created when the council fired its previous fire chief, Doug Nash, in October 2004. Nash had remained on probationary status for his first eight months before he was let go over leadership issues.

Webber was hired at a $44,000 annual wage in 2005. Shaw said the fire chief's current salary is around $56,000.

Assistant Fire Chief Jesse Best will continue in his current capacity, Shaw said.

"I suspect the association might provide the council with a recommendation of changing Jesse's title to chief," Shaw said.

If that should happen, Best would remain as a volunteer but probably receive a stipend as was the practice before Nash was hired as the city's first full-time paid fire chief.

Over the coming days and weeks, Shaw plans to meet with the Columbia Falls rural fire board, city council and the firefighters association to get an idea of what direction they want the city to take now.

"It will have to be soon. We can't continue with this," Shaw said. "There are good reasons we had a paid position. There's a lot of work to do, a volunteer person can't put in the time it takes."