Costa

PROVIDENCE — Fire Chief David D. Costa is retiring after only two years as chief of the department, and some city and union officials say he is leaving because he disagreed with Mayor David N. Cicilline’s policies and felt pressured to fight the city’s fire union.

Costa, 48, a 27-year veteran, was appointed chief by Cicilline two years ago and has presided over an extended period of labor unrest. The firefighters’ union is in arbitration over its contract from 2004 through 2006.

Yesterday, Costa said he was leaving to pursue “new challenges.”

“I’ve had an incredible career and it’s with mixed feelings that I retire from the Providence Fire Department,” Costa said. “I truly believe that we have the best fire department in the Northeast, with tremendous potential, and I couldn’t be prouder of the men and women that I’ve had the privilege of serving with over the years. However, I’m also looking forward to experiencing new challenges.”

City Council President John J. Lombardi said, however, that Costa is leaving partially because the mayor put pressure on him to fight the union, during contract negotiations and at other times.

“This squabbling between the executive branch of the government and the union put him in an untenable and an uncomfortable position,” Lombardi said.

“I think Costa at times did not appear to me to seem comfortable in his skin. He’s obviously a rank-and-file fireman, very close to his men.”

That put Costa in a hard position, Lombardi said, because “there’s been a complete attempt to try and break this union.”

Paul A. Doughty, president of the firefighters’ union, said that Costa was considered a first-rate firefighter and an excellent company captain. “His departure comes as a shock. In the companies he was respected. He was a very hard-nosed captain and worked in the busiest places,” Doughty said.

He said, however, that he was unpopular as chief because the rank-and-file thought that he was not representing their interests with Cicilline.

Doughty said that he felt that Costa may have left because he privately disagreed with Cicilline’s policies, but felt obligated to champion them.

“In my opinion, the chief’s been troubled by some of the policies that seem to have come from the mayor’s office,” Costa said.

Costa said he was not leaving because of policy disagreements.

“I wouldn’t say that,” he said. “I’m just ready to make a change.”

“It’s not a secret that things have been a little rough. … there have been some serious challenges in trying to manage the department,” Costa said, referencing the labor dispute. The firefighters’ union had worked without a contract since 2001 before going to arbitration and settling the 2001-2004 contract in March.

Cicilline said that Costa told him he wanted to retire to pursue other opportunities, and he did not doubt him. “I take the fire chief at his word. He said he was ready to retire, I accept that.”

Cicilline said that he will conduct a national search to replace Costa, who will serve until the end of the year. Deputy Chief Michael Pare will serve as the acting chief until Costa’s replacement is found. The fire chief’s base salary is $102,000.

“Although it’s sad to see him go, [Costa] took the department to a new level of professionalism during his tenure,” Cicilline said.

He praised some of Costa’s reforms, including introduction of a merit-based promotion system for senior officers and new educational programs for firefighters.

Aside from the ongoing contract dispute, the most public question of Costa’s tenure concerned when and how to deploy a city rescue truck. Early last year, Costa, with Cicilline’s support, removed the truck from service in order to reduce costs, then restored it two weeks later after City Council members questioned the move.

At the time, Costa also said that morale in the department was low.

Lombardi and Doughty both said that Costa’s departure illustrates the need for the next fire chief to have a four-year contract similar to the police chief’s. The fire chief currently serves at the pleasure of the mayor.

Cicilline said that he would consider giving the next fire chief a contract, if it were needed to secure a highly desirable candidate.

Costa, a native of South Kingstown, joined the department in 1979 as a firefighter in the city’s West End. He served as a lieutenant, captain, fire marshal and acting assistant chief of operations before Cicilline appointed him to the top spot in June 2004.

With reports from staff writer Gregory Smith