Vote on Burns tabled again

As a council member, I am very disturbed about the council interfering in the City manager's role. The City Manager reports to the council, the Chief of Police reports to the City Manager,so the CM is to recommend to us, based on the findings of the panel who conducted the interview. I have always believed in hiring from within the ranks, but if we are losing officers to the Sheriffs department, there must be a reason. Once again time will tell. Joe

Council will interview Lt. Dianne Burns, two other candidates for police chief By AARON AUPPERLEE Staff Writer BARSTOW - Barstow's wait for a new police chief continued on Thursday. The City Council voted 4-to-1 - with Joe Gomez dissenting - to table a scheduled vote on approving the contract of Lt. Dianne Burns, a 20-year officer in the Los Angeles Police Dep a r t m e n t and current g a n g t a s k force member. The Council will interview Burns and two other top candidates, according to Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre, who declined to name the other two candidates. The Council did not set a new date to consider Burns' appointment. Gomez said he was ready to make a decision. "W-i-m-p-s," he spelled out after the Council adjourned from a lengthy closed session. "I don't want the delays to frustrate the applicant," he said. "The hiring process is getting too political." Gomez reiterated his support of City Manager Hector Rodriguez's choice of Burns at the top candidate for the position. He said he did not think Burns would see the delays as a sign of diminishing support from the Council but expressed concern that the process has grown too confusing. "I don't think the Council gave specific direction to the city manager to begin with," he said. "We have to put processes in place that are consistent with all contract employees." Rodriguez selected Burns as the potential next police chief after an independent panel of top area law enforcement officials placed her and two other candidates at the top of the list following interviews. Rodriguez then negotiated a contract with Burns and took the contract before the Council on Monday. The Council tabled the discussion for Thursday's meeting, during which they delayed the decision indefinitely. "They see this as a key position, and as such, they want to make sure we have the best candidate," Rodriguez said. "I'm going to continue to expedite the process." At both Monday and Thursday's meeting, residents asked the Council to weigh the decision heavily and not to make a rash decision. Speaking before the Council went into close session, resident Paul Courtney asked the members to take a close look at the candidate and select a chief who is progressive, pro-active and forwardthinking. "I really hope we're going to set a new course of action and move forward," he said. Burns has not returned calls from the Desert Dispatch seeking comment.