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Complaints lodged over sexist SLO Chamber video

February 14, 2017

At least two complaints have been lodged against the City of San Luis Obispo after the fire chief and city manage participated in creating a video that sexually objectifies firefighters.

The video, shown at the annual SLO Chamber of Commerce dinner on Jan. 20, was created as a spoof to promote the chamber. In the video, female chamber employees ask fire Chief Garret Olson about a full monty calendars and hot, shirtless firefighters.

Both Olson and SLO City Manager Katie Lichtig are featured in the video.

On Monday, the firefighters’ union asked the city to mount an investigation into the sexual objectification of firefighters by city officials.

“Members of Local 3523 are disturbed, sad and embarrassed that the highest-ranking city officials blatantly demeaned their chosen profession and believed it appropriate to sexually objectify city firefighters both publically [sic] at the chamber’s annual dinner and to circulate the video on the internet,” according to the union.


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Dumb, lame, unfunny, waste of time and money. So what? Duh. Fuggeddabboudditt.


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So what? You can’t be a fire chief and city manager and get away with doing “dumb”, “lame”, “unfunny”, “waste of time and money” stuff. They are supposed to be held to a higher standard and fully abide by the city’s code of conduct policy. Ironyman2000, you may have a job where what you say and do doesn’t really matter but high ranking city officials do and there are these things called consequences. Google it.


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Ms. Lichtig, what were you thinking, city managers are held to a much higher standard than this. This is an huge embarrassment to the profession and you should be ashamed of yourself. Have you forgotten that you agreed to the International City Managers Association (ICMA) tenets – you must understand that you have violated at least 3 of those which you pledged to adhere to. Its time for you to resign! Shame, shame shame!!


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So this is really not about having a sense of humor. This is about a fire chief and city manager having bad judgement. People in their positions don’t get to make bad judgements and they are held to a higher standard. They are highly paid and supposed to be smart, reasonable and have good judgment. Unfortunately, this video shows neither of them do.


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Everyone must remember that these are the people at the top, there are no sub ordinates to blame or scapegoats to find. Now we will find out if there is really equal accountability for all or will this just get swept under the carpet with a “I’m sorry” like Chief Olsen said on TV? If this is the conduct that the two top players exhibited and nothing is done the city of SLO is in real trouble. Will the city council take action and do what is right? As liberal as they are they may just apologize for them and then, as usual, go forward and give them a raise. Then on the other hand the violators may cry foul and go out on administrative leave with full pay and then quietly disappear after multi hundred thousand dollar settlements are agreed on. Who are the real losers? As usual the taxpayer.


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I’m amazed by the disproportionate response to this attempt at amateur humor.”Discussions” regarding firemen and their “appearance” go on everyday in all aspects of life. Sit in a lunchroom or break room sometime and wait for someone to mention the word “firemen” and see how quickly the conversation turns “sexist.”

As far as I’m concerned the Chamber was simply lampooning that very concept. They were making fun of the fact that this somewhat ridiculous reaction occurs all the time…it’s a fact of life.

My advice to all of you….lighten up, just enjoy life, smile more, laugh more, and don’t get so worked up about things. You will all live longer.


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it’s what children do on rainy days.


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Don’t know many “children” who the taxpayers are paying the kind of salaries/benefits and pensions to that these “children” are taking, and they are always crying for more. This is the so called “best and brightest”?, and that we are told we have to pay these high salaries for? I bet we could pay a lot less for someone and get the same childish behavior?


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Not only is the video in poor taste but it is cringe worthy. I could barely watch such bad acting, poorly written, badly produced video. I wonder how much alcohol was consumed in the planning stages of making this embarrassment???


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Lets get real. The whole Litchig team participated in this horrific display of juvenile behavior at the expense of others. The met in a upper City Management Meeting, laughed about the video, then all of them were at the event – fire Dietrick, Irons, Lichtig, Johnson, Codron, Stanwich and etc. They are all inept and corrupt. They have been doing grab the Johnson for years.


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And laughing all the way to the bank every payday.


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Its a Joke .. I’m sure the chamber paid for it.. Boy howdy.. don’t be crazy.. its funny


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