BOISE, Idaho — Just hours after Boise Fire Chief Dennis Doan announced he will retire in May and remain on paid administrative leave, the city says it will seek to have him fired instead.
Doan was placed on leave Monday over what Boise Fire and Boise Mayor Lauren McLean have referred to only as a "personnel matter." Doan said in a press conference on the steps of City Hall Wednesday morning that his suspension came as a surprise to him.
"I want to set the record straight that putting me on administrative leave was not because I did anything wrong. I was never told I did anything wrong," he said. "I was never told anything. It was not discipline - I did not do anything wrong, and I was not accused of doing anything wrong."
Doan said that he would officially step down as chief May 29, and would remain on paid leave - not returning to Boise Fire - until that date.
But that changed after the City of Boise's Human Resources Department sent Doan a letter, delivered to him after the conference ended. In the letter, HR Director Kelcey Stewart writes that the fire chief had been offered a lump sum and VEBA contributions as part of a "separation agreement" on Monday.
Doan turned that offer down, then asked for time to reconsider. At a second meeting with McLean at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Doan offered to retire in May, remaining on leave until his retirement.
The mayor told Doan "she needed time to consider her options" and would get back in touch with him, according to the letter.
"At this time, the City is declining your proposal. Further, the City is rescinding its offer of March 2, 2020 to settle your personnel matter," the letter reads. "As the Mayor indicated to you, the City wished to honor your contributions over the last 30 years and support your retirement with dignity. Unfortunately, the City feels that resolving your personnel matter in a way that honors your service and that goal is not a viable option."
"The City has no option other than to pursue a public vote," the letter concludes.
Doan said the letter was texted to him after he finished his statement to the media.
"After my announcement today that I would retire at the end of May, I received this letter via text," he wrote on Twitter. "The Mayor is going to ask the Council to fire me in a public meeting rather than let me retire."
McLean declined to give any other details about why she is seeking to oust Doan.
"Under state law this is a personnel matter and we cannot comment. Thanks for reaching out," the mayor wrote to a KTVB reporter via text.
In his press conference, Doan also declined to say why he had been placed on leave.
"You'll have to ask the mayor," he said. "I don't want to speak for her."
Doan was appointed chief in 2008 by McLean's predecessor as mayor, Dave Bieter, and thanked Bieter in his statement. The Local 149 firefighters union endorsed Bieter in his race against McLean, but a political commercial backing Bieter that featured firefighters was later pulled at Doan's request.
When asked whether he believed his ouster was political, he responded "you'll have to ask her," referring to McLean.
In his statement, Doan praised the firefighters of Boise Fire and described his role as chief as "the best job in the greatest city in America."
"For the past 29 years I've worked for the city of Boise and I've loved every minute of it," he said. "When I put my uniform on, every single morning, I have been so proud to wear this uniform and to represent this city, and represent the Boise Fire Department."
Boise Fire Deputy Chief Romeo Gervais is currently leading the department in Doan's absence.
Doan, who is 51, said he wants to continue to work, but has not yet decided on his next steps after leaving Boise Fire.
"I'm retiring from Boise Fire Department - I don't know what to do next," he said. "I love this city, I've lived here my entire life - I was born at St. Luke's - and I want to continue to live and work in this city, but there's only one fire chief job."