The Council minutes continued, "[Jones] talked about action that was taken at that time relative to the fire department being sued for discriminatory hiring policies.  He stated in about 2 months after the suit was brought, 13 black firemen were on board, but pointed out a black person was hired only when a black person was fired.  Within two months, 17 black firemen were found and he wonders why they had not been hired prior to the suit being brought against the fire department."

Jones was promoted only once during his 25 years with the Raleigh Fire Department.  Since his retirement in 1988, he's been challenging the city for over a decade on improving the number of black firefighters there.  But when Raleigh City Manager J. Russell Allen decided to hire Philadelphia Deputy Fire Commissioner John McGrath, who is white, over Raleigh Asst. Fire Chief/Fire Marshall Larry Stanford, a twenty-five year veteran black firefighter, the diversity problem at the RFD became crystal clear to others.

"The Triangle Urban League is very concerned about what appears to be a lack of diversity and inclusion in the employment practices of the Raleigh Fire Department," Keith Sutton, TUL President/CEO said in a written statement exclusively to The Carolinian.  "The apparent "passing over" of Larry Stanford for the position of Fire Chief seems to be a symptom of a chronic disease that has infected the Raleigh Fire Department for some time now."

"While we do not question the qualifications of incoming Fire Chief John McGrath, as his employment is eminent, we are disturbed by the employment trends of the RFD over recent years.  The Triangle Urban League intends to partner with and support the City of Raleigh in its efforts to develop and retain a diverse Fire Department that is reflective of the community that it serves."

Asst. Chief Stanford, in his letter to City Manager Allen, made it clear that his hiring not only would have put a qualified fire professional and manager in place at the RFD, but would have been a giant step towards finally solving the diversity problem.

"Statistics and experience have proven that healthy organizations build diverse management and employee structures at every level," Stanford wrote the city manager. "This helps to ensure that the true needs of a diverse population are served. Without having to do much research, it is obvious that diversity is much needed in the management ranks in Raleigh. I was hopeful that you would be the one to boldly step out, to set the example, and to "make the statement" that we have a qualified minority candidate who is capable of leading the Raleigh Fire Department with creative non-traditional ideas and programs."

"I was the candidate ready to use "out of the box thinking" to constantly evaluate the programs, policies and procedures, and to ensure that the organization is meeting the intended needs and serving the targeted audience. " Stanford continued, "By selecting an outside candidate that is a white male sends the message to the 90% white population of the fire department that management agrees with and is satisfied to continue with the inequities demonstrated in hiring, promotional and selection practices in the City. Your recent appointment re-enforces the wrongful thinking that only white men are qualified to lead the Fire Department."

Marshall Harvey, current president of the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association, agrees. "I think it is appalling that the city, with as many African-Americans that live in the city of Raleigh, and as many qualified African-Americans Raleigh has, that are seeking and have proven themselves to be qualified, we can only find 54 African-Americans to fit the slots in the fire department. Many of those are really not in supervisory capacity.  Harvey added that with the King Holiday here, the city must understand that Raleigh's African-American cannot tolerate inequity and unfairness.

Michael Leach, president of the Raleigh-Wake NAACP, also expressed concern. "Since 1909, the NAACP has spoke truth to power!  As president of the Raleigh-Apex NAACP, I am concerned to learn of the inequitable hiring practices of the Raleigh Fire Department as described in [The Carolinian's] article," Leach wrote in a statement. "I am investigating this matter and will request Mayor Meeker and the Raleigh City Council to not only address this issue but to also take steps to increase minority employment by the Fire Department."

Ronald White, president of the South Central-Wake NAACP, also called on the mayor and the City Council to make sure that the problems at the RFD are corrected, and fairness is implemented.

The city's black leaders are planning to hold a press conference Monday at 10:45 a.m. at the State Capitol to make public a letter formally being sent to Mayor Charles Meeker, the City Council and City Manager Allen, expressing their concerns about the lack of diversity at the RFD, and urging that it be made a priority of the city, even before Chief McGrath takes over on Feb. 1.  At that same Sept. 20, 2005 City Council meeting where retired black firefighter Welton Jones petitioned the city to aggressively address the paucity in recruiting, hiring and promoting African-Americans in the RFD, it was District C City Councilman James West who also expressed concern.

"Mr. West pointed out 3 or 4 years ago the same concern was expressed about the police department and he thinks some positive things occurred," the minutes state. "He stated he is pleased to hear the police department is moving in the right direction and maybe we should use the same type process for the fire department."

After The Carolinian first broke the Larry Stanford story last week prior to NBC-17 and WTVD-11, Allen, Mayor Meeker and Councilman West, all defended McGrath's hiring, saying he was more qualified than Stanford, even though their respective resumes are somewhat identical in education and experience.

"I don't think there's any question that Fire Marshall Stanford is qualified, but the question is who is most qualified?" Mayor Pro-tem West, the Council's only African-American, told WTVD-11. "Who fits the situation, the need that we have now to move the fire department in the right direction?"

The station also indicated that City Manager Allen ".said the city has been working on improving diversity within the fire department for two years and is making progress."

What progress, many have asked?

The Carolinian asked Manager Allen's administration for an answer to that question this week, but none was forthcoming by presstime Wednesday afternoon. In those same Sept. 20, 2005 minutes, Welton Jones offered to lend his time and effort towards helping the city review its recruiting strategies. "City Manager Allen pointed out we have done that in the past and have shown improvement and will continue to see if there are things we need to do," the minutes state.

But Allen did not say what exactly that "improvement" was at the time. This paper has invited Manager Allen to write an op-ed piece for next week's Thursday edition explaining the progress the city has made so far in diversifying the Raleigh Fire Department over the past two years. His public affairs office, at press time, said he was considering the offer.

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