Undercurrents

Star Tribune Fri, 02 May 2008 03:07:52 GMT
Stop talking about fire or face losing your jobs, Oak Grove administrator warns

Oak Grove hits city officials -- including the fire department -- with a gag order after a fatal March 5 fire. ... Referring directly to the March 5 fire and criticism of the department discussed at City Council meetings Monday and April 14, the memo states: "All Employees, including Paid on-call Fire Department personnel, City Council members and City staff need to immediately stop talking about or commenting, publicly or privately, on tactical responses, opinions about employment matters or observations about the same." The memo further states that a pending investigation "will severely be compromised by continued comment and attempts to influence others with public comment." It says employees who fail to follow the directive not to talk "shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.''

[[keywords: Legal;Officials;Metro;]]