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San Luis Obispo to reinstate Ryan Mason

June 6, 2013
John Ryan Mason

John Ryan Mason

UPDATE: Councilman Dan Carpenter’s statement on this issue is at the bottom of this article.

San Luis Obispo officials have agreed to reinstate embattled firefighter John Ryan Mason.

The decision was made by Fire Chief Charlie Hines with the support of Christine Dietrick, the city attorney. Hines noted that Mason has an exemplary record as a firefighter and feels that he can work with him. Last night, Mason left city hall carrying two uniforms.

The fire chief fired Mason in November, shortly after he escaped a felony assault conviction for his role in a bar bathroom brawl.

Mason, a fire engineer and paramedic, faced charges of felony assault with great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury following his alleged beating of Jory Brigham in the bathroom of Pappy McGregor’s Bar & Grill after a wedding. Mason’s trial concluded with a hung jury leaning eight to four in his favor, and the District Attorney’s Office chose not to retry the case.

The fire department placed Mason on unpaid administrative leave in April. A few months later, City Manager Katie Lichtig named him as a nominee for city employee of the year.

Nevertheless, several members of the city council told CalCoastNews that Mason’s behavioral pattern did not match the ethical code of a San Luis Obispo firefighter and that they were in favor of his termination. The fire department’s code of ethics mandates that firefighters “accept this responsibility of public trust both on and off duty.”

The city council does not have jurisdiction on this issue.

Councilman Dan Carpenter issued a statement voicing his disapproval of Hines’ decision to rehire Mason.

“I’m extremely saddened and disappointed with the decision of our Fire Chief and top management to reinstate firefighter Ryan Mason,” Carpenter said. “Traditionally, the city has held its public safety employees to the highest level of integrity and trust. Today, that tradition has been compromised by rewarding conduct unbecoming of a firefighter. My heart and compassion go out to Mr. Brigham and his family as they continue to heal from this tragedy.”

 

 


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“I’m extremely saddened and disappointed with the decision of our Fire Chief and top management to reinstate firefighter Ryan Mason,” SLO Councilman Carpenter said.


“The city council does not have jurisdiction on this issue” CalCoast News conjectures.


BULL CRAP!


MAYBE THE CITY COUNCIL CANNOT DIRECTLY HIRE AND FIRE (except for the City Manager) BUT IF NON ELECTED SO CALLED OFFICIALS HAVE MORE AUTHORITY OVER OUR ELECTED REAL OFFICIALS THEN THE PEOPLE OF SLO ARE IN REAL TROUBLE!


TO IMPLY THE CITY COUNCIL’S HANDS ARE TIED OVER THIS MATTER AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT IS GROUNDS TO RECALL EACH AND EVERYONE ONE OF THEM RIGHT NOW!


THE INMATES ARE RUNNING THE ASYLUM AND I AM MAD AS HELL AND I’M NOT GONNA TAKE THIS ANYMORE!


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Dan Carpenter,


If you are so damn “saddened and disappointed” then why don’t you do something about it.


Why do we even bother with elections!


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Time to change your moniker to ApathyHASkilledUS… :(


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It’s time to address the City Manager’s contract and define what remove with cause means. If this isn’t a good cause for removal please explain to me what it would be.


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This is yet another example of why we should end all public sector unions…the next guy he hits should have an excellent case against the people that have reinstated him. At least that is the way it would work in a just world.


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I strongly suspect, that eventually, this will happen again. It’s just a matter of time.


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A revealing sidebar, but applicable nonetheless to the story at hand, is the following;


Dave Congalton’s conveniently revised quote listed herein, instead of his previously deleted verion to Galaxy Traveler: “Let me repeat: I don’t work for CCN. I don’t have access to the site. I took a guess at your identity based on months of reading your predictable comments. You took the bait.”


Barring the FACT that Dave Congalton is acting in the most childish of ways, again, he is on the precipice of blatantly going against CCN’s forum protocols by his previously deleted post, and this current version as well. The sad thing is the fact that he doesn’t have the sense to feel embarrassed over his actions.


Then Mr. Congalton wonders why some of the alumni here at CCN have to use monikers instead of our actual names? We do so for the likes of his kind and the possible ramifications thereof when voicing confrontational opinions.


Another Dave Congalton childish quote to WiserGuy this time, but supports the above proposition. To wit: “Huh? What? Gee, “WiserGuy,” no wonder you won’t put your name to your opinions. I’d be embarrassed, too, if this is the best I could come up with as an argument. Squeak! Squeak! goes the Anonymouse.”


http://calcoastnews.com/2013/05/paul-brown-responds/comment-page-2/#comments


How utterly sad for Dave to act in the manner that he has recently shown us of late, and to have an “alleged” respectful radio talk show as well? Subjectively, the bar continues to lower in his behalf.


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I’m getting confused here. Ted Slanders “why some of the alumni here at CCN have to use monikers instead of our real names”. Am I really reading this that the reporters at CCN use fictitious names to blog their own stories? Now it really makes me wonder what’s going on.

Oh well I guess entertainment is what it is. Kind of pops the bubble on reporting.


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Mr. Holly,


The reporters are using their actual names, it is the “posters, aka, alumni” that may use monikers for obvious reasons to protect themselves from the likes of the Dave Congaltons.


Your bubbles remain intact.


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My name IS Rambunctious…lol


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It’s pretty simple and pretty awful at the same time.


Mason was NOT convicted of ANYTHING.


Thus no grounds for firing.


Possible pending wrongful termination lawsuit brewing.


Dietrick advises reinstatement.


Reinstatement means full previous salary, benefits and probably back pay.


AND IT DID NOT COST LICHTIG, DIETRICK and HINES ONE CENT!


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That’s wildly speculative but probably right. You left out the part about the confidentiality agreement barring the public from knowing what really happened.


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It actually cost the taxpayers more because they hired an outside lawyer to handle this one because Dietrick is such an idiot.


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The only twist that is facetiously and sorely missing in this whole scenario, is the fact that Ryan Mason didn’t find God by using the religious card to placate to the San Luis Obispo officials in question. If the religious concept of forgiveness, without question, would have been used, as we’ve seen so many times in the past in insidious ways, nonetheless, it would have eased the pain of Ryan’s reinstatement to so many of the faithful here at CCN if they actually followed the bible’s precepts.


The religious card of “forgiveness” being used in this situation might be against all logic and reason, as most biblical doctrine is, but anyway, it would have been unquestionable to the godly participants in this decision making process, and by biblical doctrine, the aforementioned participants would have been putty in Jason’s hands at the onset!


“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” (1 John 1:9)


“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.   But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15) This verse is a Catch-22 to say the least!


Barring the factoid that the passages above gives no incentive for the Christian to be morally and ethically correct all the time on their own, because they have biblical doctrine to cover them if they are not, Ryan Jason should use this forgiveness doctrine nonetheless if he once again falls out of grace for yet another reinstatement.


Praise the Christian “forgiveness doctrine” and it’s free unquestionable get out of jail card!


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This is a bad decision by the City. I hope the city council terminates the City Manager, Fire Chief and legal council. We need to set examples by having the best work here, Mason is the worst. There will be another issue involving Mason someday and we the taxpayers will pay the price while the Hines, Dietrick and Lichtig are all on a beach somewhere enjoying their wealthy retirement.


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Seriously. I’m thinking that the next time someone talks smack to me in a bar, I’m totally cool to beat his face in and walk away right?


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no, but if the guy attacks you, you can defend yourself.


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LOL slojo. I hope you’re not calling what Mason did “self-defense.” Yeah, that’s what his lawyers said but the pictures prove otherwise.


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slocal,


What you propose seems to have foundational merit. Wanna have a beer?


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I may not know all the facts, but as long as the cops act stupidly, you probably have a good point!


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roy,


You’re forgetting about the concept of a cities emergency service group always seem to stick together in times like the Ryan Mason case.


Don’t ever forget, that they are the “deciders” in whether you’re charged or not for any wrongdoing!


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Do you mean the same Chief Callahan that passed you over to promote someone else? Bitter?


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Wow. I’d hate to see what will really get this guy fired.


Seriously? Our taxes are paying for this piece of sh*t? Absolutely, totally, reprehensible.


Chief Callahan, may he RIP, would have never put up with this crap.


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Chief Callahan would never have made the horrible decision to terminate him in the first place.


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I am lost here. Were comments deleted or am I on stronger medication than I thought?


In any event, I think Mason should have been terminated, not reinstated.


I have no idea who Galaxy is.


I do know who Dave is because I’ve been on his show.


I outted myself here loooooong ago.


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comments were deleted , derail repaired carry on.

???? or !!!! moderator@calcoastnews.com


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What?!? I missed it! Now I’ll never know if Galaxy Traveller is actually Bruce Wayne, or whatever. Please don’t delete the smarmy stuff; it’s what we enjoy more than the actual stories. If Dave and Galaxy want to beat each other up electronically, we want to watch. Panem et Circenses, if you will. If there’s one thing we don’t have enough of on the Inter-thingy, it’s smarminess.


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What medication is it, danika? After reading a depressing story like this one, I may need some of it. ;)


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Ryan? Is that you?


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