Photo by Chuck Tobin
GONE AFTER A YEAR – Mike Dine, seen last month in Whitehorse, is no longer the city’s fire chief. The city is providing scant information about his departure.
City tightlipped about fire chief’s departure
Whitehorse fire chief Mike Dine was released from his duties Friday by city manager Linda Rapp.
Whitehorse fire chief Mike Dine was released from his duties Friday by city manager Linda Rapp.
City hall is not providing any details about the former chief’s sudden departure.
City communications officer Myles Dolphin explained by email this morning the city will not release details because it’s a personnel matter.
He did note Dine had still been on probation.
Dine began the job in June 2018, after having served 20 years with the Pender Island, B.C., fire department, the last 12 as deputy chief.
Whitehorse deputy chief Chris Green will be filling in as acting chief, Dolphin said.
There was no discussion about whether severance pay will be involved in Dine’s departure.
When former city manager Christine Smith was fired in the spring of 2017, the city said it had been done without cause. It provided no further explanation.
And when Smith fired two senior directors in 2015, she said they were dismissed without cause.
The city provided no information this morning about whether Dine was let go with or without cause.
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Comments (24)
Up 12 Down 3
PedroFerrero on Jun 21, 2019 at 2:16 pm
Dan ‘quiote tilting at windmills’ Curtis would have done himself and the City a service had he attended Ed Struzik’s Science Institute presentation last year, in which the tinderbox forest collar around Whitehorse was described in clear, non-scientific terms . Dumbed down and suitable for the layman, or even for the YTG desk-jockeys we have here.
Up 23 Down 1
OversightCommittee on Jun 21, 2019 at 11:05 am
As tax payers we have a right to know the nature of the termination.
So now what, we get someone in the position appointed by the hacks that did the dirty deed?
My, my oh my......you should be sooo proud of yourselves at CoW. Looking out for the public’s best interest are we? Sounds like lazy desk jockeys making decisions based on what exactly?
Well done, enjoy the weekend
Up 4 Down 14
Woodcutter on Jun 20, 2019 at 10:26 pm
I am no HE expert, however you don't need an excuse to fire someone during their probation period, and publishing and individual wages, even if they work for a government is against that individuals right to privacy. Could an HR expert confirm this?
Up 31 Down 1
Michael Storm on Jun 19, 2019 at 7:49 pm
I hope Mike will tell the truth and shame the devil.
Up 33 Down 1
Michael Storm on Jun 19, 2019 at 5:23 pm
I hope he tells all so we can judge what took place based on Mikes information.
Up 35 Down 4
PSG on Jun 19, 2019 at 3:42 pm
I tried to warn you people during the approval of the report. I tried to warn you during the dump fire when Bill was going to authorize 2 million for trucks when a 10 thousand dollar hose and pump system would have sufficed and will for the next one. I tried to warn you during the civic election but you gave him a landslide.
Up 56 Down 0
Lost In the Yukon on Jun 19, 2019 at 1:21 pm
It appears to be well known that he was given a choice ... stand with Administration on issues or stand with your employees. He chose the employees. Honourable.
The manner in which he was physically removed would shock the public.
Up 31 Down 14
Mind your own business on Jun 19, 2019 at 9:08 am
Maybe it's no ones business. If this person feels he was wrongfully dismissed, he'll take them to court.
Up 32 Down 5
Groucho d'North on Jun 19, 2019 at 8:02 am
My first thoughts after reading this story were how closely this announcement came after the big Operation Nanook-Tatigiit fire exercise was conducted a short while ago. Could these stories be possibly linked in some way? Perhaps it is more than just an HR matter?
Up 60 Down 3
Jessie Maclean on Jun 19, 2019 at 7:53 am
Michael Dine was the most competent, and qualified (actual qualifications, not the FMO rubber stamp for kissing but) chief this city and territory has ever seen. The previous 2 chiefs didn’t even have basic firefighting qualifications. Now that Linda Rapp and Jeff O’Ferrel have fired him, we won’t get another qualified fire chief from the outside to apply. Instead, we’ll see a flood of incompetent or under qualified applicants put their hat in the ring. The consequences of Linda Rapp and Jeff O’Farrels power grab will be felt for a generation. Good luck Whitehorse. You’re going to need it.
Up 44 Down 1
Guncache on Jun 19, 2019 at 5:56 am
Another fire chief that was terminated many years ago was Brian Monohan. He was excellent at the job.
Up 40 Down 6
Lost In the Yukon on Jun 18, 2019 at 5:27 pm
Seeing how the Whitehorse Star refused to print what I sent in yesterday let's see if this gets axed … "What is the one common denominator in all of the firings over the past several years?" The shocker of an answer is … Dan "I am the King" Curtis.
What does that tell you?
Oh and I read tonight that his palace is now going over budget by millions … another shocker.
Up 13 Down 21
Mick on Jun 18, 2019 at 3:57 pm
Wilf!
You should run for Mayor. Maybe you're numbers have moved up from the 835 votes you got last time around.
Up 3 Down 24
Patti Eyre on Jun 18, 2019 at 1:36 pm
When Pierce Brosnan was James Bond he was all the rage and heart throb, and he made this movie called Dante's Peak, small town folks doing small town stuff and then one day kabloey! Volcano erupts and the town burns like under Smaug's wrath! Reading all these comments you would think we are at the precipice of the rapture, a Dante's Peak if you will. I will not be scared or intimidated!
Up 36 Down 2
Yukoner on Jun 18, 2019 at 12:52 pm
@kendra berg
It's likely not a hiring "mistake", rather new employees coming in with "ideas" that don't jive with what the City wants. So the City skids them or keeps them around long enough for the vulturous staff members on the power chain to run them off. They quit from the frustration of dealing with an organization that would rather do things inefficiently and just plain wrong, rather than admit they are wrong and attempt corrective actions.
Up 62 Down 5
Olaf on Jun 17, 2019 at 8:57 pm
It should be public information, as taxpayers, we need to know what these dismissals cost.
I am sure there is/was compensation in each case.
Up 64 Down 3
Brian McCaffery on Jun 17, 2019 at 5:56 pm
The city is spending a lot of tax payer dollars on ‘without cause’ terminations. I would like to know how much money it takes to run a competition for these positions. The fire department is unionized, I wonder what they have to say about the termination of the chief.
Up 56 Down 5
Mike Miller on Jun 17, 2019 at 4:30 pm
Whitehorse is sitting on the edge of a blowtorch which the mayor will not admit.
The fire break along the mine haul road is wishful thinking and clearly not enough and the fire chief acknowledged this.
If a fire from the south gets going the City will get some cats to cut a fire break. Fires can travel very quickly so use your imagination to see how this will save us.
Fires often win.
Up 64 Down 3
Kendra Berg on Jun 17, 2019 at 3:57 pm
So that's now two Fire Chiefs and one Bylaw Manager the City has released. How does the City keep making these hiring mistakes? Shouldn't the public be allowed to know how much severance each of these managers were paid out seeing as how it's public money, yet you keep raising taxes?
Up 71 Down 2
Al on Jun 17, 2019 at 3:42 pm
It appears that with the ongoing turnstile at the Fire Department the problem is not likely with the Fire Chiefs' but rather one should have a close look at the City Administrator. We bring in highly qualified folks who are doing a great job and then they are let go. I would be dollars to donuts that it is more likely that they stood up for the department in the face of an Administrator who is in over their head. Before we hire yet another Chief let's think seriously about getting rid of yet another ineffective CA....
Up 49 Down 9
Wilf Carter on Jun 17, 2019 at 3:33 pm
So is the mayor upset over the City report on the severe issue around the dangerous fire situation we are in when he stated it was not a problem? The mayor talked about the fire testing being done. Firing without cause is against labor code. So is this what the mayor does - fire some one who is doing their job? Our mayor has cost us millions in pay outs.
Up 44 Down 8
Mike Miller on Jun 17, 2019 at 3:01 pm
Mike Dine had acknowledged that Whitehorse is not prepared for a wildfire.
It's not a good idea for a Fire Chief to say this to the public.
Up 47 Down 4
Politico on Jun 17, 2019 at 3:00 pm
The question is how much these without cause firings are going to cost the taxpayers in severance pay?
Up 62 Down 5
jessy curren on Jun 17, 2019 at 2:48 pm
Heard from people he was the best fire chief the city had, and he was only there for a year. That is telling you something. Pathetic on city management to say it was a HR matter. Sounds like the typical city thing.