Lopez hire indefensible

There are pillars of our medical community that have had financial strings to American Medical Response and its parent company. Because of this and other connections, Fire Chief Bobby Williams may have more political octane than Mayor David Condon and all of the Spokane City Council members combined.

Past mayors and city councils have served Williams and AMR very well over the years. But this does not mean that past mayors and city councils have done well by the citizens. Partnering with the corporate boilerplate has reduced emergency medical service to a commodity and a revenue stream. Quality, efficiency, enterprise and public trust have been sacrificed to a bonus-making business model that fails the standard of public service to human need.

Hiring Mike Lopez, a corporate soldier for AMR, lately from DSHS, was not only a violation of law and the City Charter but an insult to the common sensibility of integrity and ethics. While Condon’s dedication to the common good goes wanting, his service to Williams and AMR goes beyond the pale of mayoral duty.

Rich Magney

Spokane