Did Davis's Firefighter Union President Get Special Treatment?

The Davis Vanguard reported Tuesday morning that firefighter union president Bobby Weist “received preferential treatment in his 2007 promotion to fire captain.”

Previously released documents related to the promotion were heavily redacted, according to the Vanguard, which reached settlement with the city last week after filing a suit for the city to turn over the public records.

City of Davis Ombudsman Robert Aaronson wrote that a significant number of firefighters “believed that one particular candidate was far more deserving than Bobby Weist.”

Read the newly released report (PDF) >>

Councilmembers Stephen Souza, Don Saylor and Ruth Asmundson voted not to read the full report in 2008. (Sue Greenwald and Lamar Heystek did not).

The Vanguard has been routinely critical of Weist, who was a major opponent to last summer’s $2.5 million budget-cut vote. The Vanguard also alleges that Weist may have played a role in organizing a boycott of Westlake IGA because the store advertises on the Vanguard.

In today's story, David Greenwald of the Vanguard wrote:

“For nearly three and a half years, the City of Davis has been unlawfully withholding records that should have long ago been made public, exposing the depths of their collusion with the firefighters union to suppress damaging portions of the Davis Fire Department Investigation.”

We reached out to Weist for comment via email, but didn't get an immediate response.

Read the full, detailed story on the Vanguard and feel free to share your thoughts below. 

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