UPDATE: OFPD Secretary Responds to Eliminated Position

Behind closed doors, the Orland Fire Protection District board eliminated its executive secretary position as part of its declared mandate to cut costs.

"We do not need an executive secretary making $65,000 a year serving the board of trustees, who are part time," board president James Hickey said in a news release sent Tuesday evening.

The position has been held by Barbara Utterback for three years. A receptionist, Mary Jane Christ, has been promoted to secretary of the board and will be paid $37,000 a year, Hickey said.

To date, trustees have not discussed this issue publicly. Ray Hanania, fire district public informaton specialist, said Wednesday that Hickey reached out to his fellow trustees individually and got approval from all but one before asking fire district staff for Utterback's resignation.

At times on the verge of tears, Utterback painted a different picture on Wednesday.

“I was not asked to resign,” she said. “I came into work yesterday and I was very excited because it was our first day at the headquarters…and I had about 30 boxes to unpack. And Interim Chief Ray Kay came to my office with Battalion Chief (Nick) Cinquepalmi and closed the door and said that he had a tough job to do and that he was instructed by the board of trustees to let me know that my position was eliminated and that I was terminated.

“I was not given a reason," she continued. "I did not speak with any of the trustees. No one has reached out to call me.”

Utterback said only one-third of her duties involved serving the board of trustees. She also recorded the meetings for the finance, disability, fire commissioners and pension boards, among others, wrote the newsletter and put together senior luncheons.

“It seems very difficult to believe that a position like that could be eliminated,” she said, noting that the fire district may need to hire two more people to handle the remaining responsibilities she undertook.

Utterback said she came to Orland with 30 years of marketing and secretarial experience between a construction business and the Palos Fire Protection District board of commissioners. She said she was hired on merit and professionalism, not politics, and didn’t know anyone on the board before her first day.

Utterback said she wasn’t reprimanded and hasn’t decided whether to take legal action.

“I’m still in shock,” she said. “I don’t understand it. I wish I had a reason. Maybe it would be better for me to accept it.”

Her husband, she noted, was laid off three weeks ago from his job.

“I’m sad and confused,” she said, “and I don’t know why this happened. And I think I deserved a better explanation.”

By phone on Wednesday, Hickey reiterated much of what was printed in the news release, saying, "We just want to keep making cuts and improving the district, which is going to make the taxpayers happy."

In addition, the board president said he doubts that the district will need to hire a second or third secretary to pick up all of Utterback's duties and has asked the entire fire district staff for ideas to "stop waste and cut costs" to "get the district running like a business."

"I'm all ears," he added. "And I've always said, 'Let's give something a try,' and if it doesn't work, at least we tried it."

The board is expected next week to announce other fire district changes, not all of them involving personnel.

Updated at 3:27 p.m. to add personal quotes from Hickey

Updated at 1:25 p.m. to add quotes from Utterback