By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com
Fire Marshal Henry Lopez and Assistant City Manager Arturo Rodriguez (File photos)
City of San Benito officials tasked with supervising emergency departments have remained mum regarding the indefinite suspension of Fire Marshal Henry Lopez.
Lopez appealed his suspension Thursday, claiming it is the result of growing animosity between him and Assistant City Manager Arturo Rodriguez, who oversees the fire department. And although the fire marshal said he received word of his indefinite suspension Saturday, March 31, the News learned of city officials’ plans to suspend the fire marshal a week in advance.
This transpired when the News contacted Rodriguez on Thursday, March 29 seeking confirmation on word that Lopez was to be terminated. During that March 29 telephone conversation, Rodriguez, although acknowledging in the affirmative of a personnel matter existing that could result in Lopez’s indefinite suspension, said verification of as much would not come until Friday, March 30 or Monday, April 2.
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One-Sided-Story, consider first that if the story appears “one-sided” it is due to city officials not commenting on the matter. In fact, the San Benito News is still awaiting the city’s mere acknowledgement of Mr. Lopez’s indefinite suspension. We’ll stay on top of this matter, and we hope officials are more forthcoming – if it’s within their means – in the future.
So far, I’ve only heard ONE SIDE OF THE STORY.
Henry likes to fluff things up with the media and has a “feel sorry for me” complex.
I have heard it over and over again. Soon, the media will learn of the details surrounding his termination. Sounds to me like administration is working hard to get rid of city employees taking advantage of our “taxpayer dollars”. I support you all 100%! Get rid of city people who are not doing their job, or not wanting to work, taking advantage of the system, being insubordinate, etc.
Enough is enough Henry…you were fired! You deserved it! Quit embarrassing yourself and this town. Stop spending our tax dollars!
What a waste of “taxpayer dollars” to settle a score and silence those who go “Rogue” and against the “Administration”” which is “not a good thing”!
After Fire Marshall Henry Lopez gets reinstated the legal fees need to be paid by somebody other than Mr. and Mrs. Tax Payer!
“Priorities & Accountability”
The suspension is because Henry spoke to the media against city policy. If the city has warned him not to do this and he did it anyway, then the suspension, including termination is warranted. If he was not told and is not documented in signed conference notes, then all they can do is tell him he should not do it again. Since Henry keeps doing it and reason for last suspension was the same thing, I do believe he has been warned and told not to talk to the media about state of affairs to which he is not authorized to do, but is the city managers job.
The suspension is not because he spoke to the media.
It is the Administration rejecting his message: “The SBFD is under-staffed and under-equipped to protect the citizens/taxpayers of San Benito.”
It is a classic example of “Shoot the Messenger to distract from the Message!”
Approach it from this angle:
If a professional and certified teacher spoke out publicly that the” student to teacher ratio” was too high to effectively and efficiently teach the students and then the Superintendent responded that the student to teacher ratio was not high; who would you trust the most to be credible in their response?
The professional individual who is in the classroom or out in the field or the individual sitting in an office?
Don’t let City Hall tell you everything is “fine and dandy” and just accept it.
It is after all our tax dollars being spent!
Respect is “earned”, it does not come with the title or the salary!
“Priorities & Accountability’
You fight this Mr. Lopez! Here again it seems to me that the Mayor and city manager Lara are in cahoots with Asst. Manager Arturo Rodriguez to get rid of a good man with lots of experience. What experience does Rodriguez have in running a fire a department? None whatsoever! Give me a break! Henry Lopez has been a dedicated leader of our fire department for many many years. On the contrary, Arturo Rodriguez is a man with no customer service skills and with an ego as big as China! Just look at his picture above! No smile! That tells it all!! No te dejes Henry! You are in our prayers!