Citing his desire to be fully transparent, Sedona Fire District Chief Kris Kazian announced in an email to his staff and the Governing Board that he is a finalist for an opening in Colorado.
“It has been a difficult decision, but based primarily on the fact that four of the six people running for Sedona Fire District board have expressed or implied their dissatisfaction with me personally and professionally, I feel my future as the fire chief may be in jeopardy depending on what happens in this election cycle,” Kazian wrote in the Tuesday, Oct. 9, email.
“This has compelled me to consider alternate employment opportunities as a safeguard to me and my family. While I am saddened that a vocal minority has been able to influence my planning, the reality as a fire chief is that you are three votes away from not having a job, and this is the responsible course of action for me personally and professionally.”
On Oct. 5 he was notified that he was one of four finalists for an opening in Colorado. Among his reasons, Kazian has a daughter living in the Centennial State, so he decided to throw his hat in the ring.
“I have a long way to go and I have no idea if I will even be selected,” he said in the email. “You may ask why I am sharing this now with a few more steps in the process. Simply stated, I would hate for something to get out to our team before I had a chance to disclose it myself. I would never want the membership to feel they were the last to know as I deeply respect and care for each and every one of you.”
He ended the letter by stating, “We have all worked very hard to build trust in our organization and I hope that everyone can appreciate the uncertainty of my situation. I want to assure you that regardless of what happens, I have an unwavering support and admiration for Sedona Fire District and this community we proudly serve.
“While there are many potential outcomes to sending this email and to putting my name out there for career opportunities, please know my commitment to SFD will remain unchanged. I promise to keep everyone informed through the next few weeks and I am happy to meet with anyone if you have any questions.”
After sending the letter, Kazian said since moving to Sedona in 2012 he’s been impressed by the dedication and professionalism of Sedona Fire District and is proud to be its chief.
“It was not easy to get to this point, believe me,” he said. “I love Sedona and Sedona Fire District like I have lived here my entire life. It is an amazingly wonderful community but there seems to be an affinity to attack the public servants regardless of how effective they are being. It is not good for the long-term health of our community.”
