St. Paul Fire Chief Butch Inks said in an interview he wasn’t surprised by the findings.
“I can tell you where this department was when I took over in 2018 and I can tell you where it’s at today, and it’s 100% a better department with less toxicity and less disgruntled employees,” Inks said.
The survey was the first of its kind conducted by the city so it’s unclear how workers’ feelings have changed over time. Inks said he knows the department morale has improved based on the feedback he gets from his leadership team and the numerous opportunities they created.
“I grew up in this fire department. I have seen tremendous change in a culture that historically fights change,” Inks said.
Inks also pointed out that not every worker responded to the survey. The city received responses from 154 employees, or roughly 30% of the department.
My man is really dodging the question, here. WHY are the employees disgruntled? WHAT kind of toxicity are you referring to? HOW did you address the issues? I feel like you could have asked anyone besides the chief and gotten honest answers to these questions.