Fire Department overseer sought

Two city councilmen called Thursday for a ballot measure that would create an independent assessor to oversee allegations of wrongdoing at the city Fire Department, which has been buffeted by a series of costly discrimination lawsuits over the last three years.

Councilmen Jose Huizar and Jack Weiss said the measure, proposed for the March 3 municipal ballot, would create a position similar to the inspector general at the city’s Police Department.

The city has been hit with at least $4.5 million in judgments, legal bills and settlement costs stemming from the incident involving Tennie Pierce, a firefighter who filed a lawsuit after he ate spaghetti laced with dog food. Several other personnel incidents have led to Fire Department payouts.

-- David Zahniser