Hurricane center's chief out

But NOAA is still assessing his complaints about outdated equipment.

By MEG LAUGHLIN AND WES ALLISON
Published July 10, 2007

National Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen speaks to members of the media outside the Hurricane Center in Miami. Bill Proenza, director of the National Hurricane Center was temporarily reassigned amid calls from about half his staff that he be ousted for undermining the public's confidence in the center's forecasts.
	[Times photo: AP Photo]

MIAMI - Bill Proenza, the embattled director of the National Hurricane Center, was replaced suddenly Monday, four days after nearly half his staff called for his ouster.

Twenty-three members of his staff, including his own secretary, sent a letter to federal officials complaining that Proenza, who took over the center in January, was undermining public confidence in their work because of statements he made about an aging weather satellite.

"Proenza is on leave but is still a NOAA employee," said Anson Franklin, director of communications for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington, D.C., which oversees the hurricane center.

He said he could not yet say what specific job Proenza would have.

Ed Rappaport, the deputy director of the center for seven years and a forecaster there for 20, was named acting director of the center, which is gearing up for the most active period of the annual storm season.

"Ed's a real hurricane vet," said Dennis Feltgen, public affairs director at the center.

Last week, NOAA sent an "assessment team" to investigate Proenza's complaints about outdated satellite equipment, as well as staff complaints about Proenza.

Judging from Monday's ouster, the latter complaints took precedence.

Proenza, 62, came to the hurricane center from Fort Worth, Texas, where he was director of the southern region of the National Weather Service, a job that oversaw 60 offices and more than 1,000 employees.

But hurricane center scientists and forecasters quickly became concerned that, despite good intentions, Proenza's specialty was not hurricane research and his focus was not well informed.

At first, Proenza appeared to be the brave underdog in a David-and-Goliath battle with Washington over funding. Members of both chambers of Congress responded to Proenza's warnings that forecasting would be compromised if the QuickSCAT satellite, which is several years past its expected lifespan, were to fail.

But when 23 members of his own staff signed a letter last week saying that the "effective functioning" of the center was at stake with Proenza at the helm, the battle took on new dimensions, with personnel issues eclipsing equipment issues.

Proenza, who had vowed last week he would continue in the job, was not available for comment Monday.

His former employees refused to speak on the record Monday, saying they preferred to keep quiet until the NOAA inspection team completes its report July 20.

But Max Mayfield, who preceded Proenza, spoke on the staff's behalf Monday. He said he had become "increasingly dismayed" at how Proenza "misrepresented the forecasters and scientists" as being slow to acknowledge equipment problems.

"Those forecasters and scientists are superb at what they do. They are passionate, meticulous and somewhat introverted. They would never speak up unless there was a huge disconnect," said Mayfield. "In the battle between Bill and the forecasters, I can tell you it's the forecasters who took the high ground."

But Mayfield said he always believed Proenza's fight for more funding was a good thing.

"He just didn't go about it the right way," he said.

State and federal officials weighed in cautiously on the announcement.

"It's important that recent circumstances do not overshadow the center's mission, especially since we are in the midst of hurricane season; swift action became necessary," said Sen. Mel Martinez.

Sen. Bill Nelson said: "I'm troubled by budget shortfalls in the weather agency, not to mention the failure to properly plan for replacing an aging weather satellite that gives forecasters valuable information. The administration needs to fix this mess -- and fix it now."

Richard Hirn, attorney for the National Weather Service Employees Union, which supports Proenza, speculated that Proenza might be offered his old job back.

It was in that job, said Hirn, that Proenza fought consolidation of branches and saved jobs for many employees -- "a fight that earned him great respect."

"In that battle, Bill was a hero," said Dan Sobien, president of the National Weather Service Employees union.

But at the National Hurricane Center, Sobien conceded, Proenza has not been a hero to most of the staff. "I hear he yells sometimes," said Sobien. "But, overall, I think he's a good leader.'

Rappaport, 48, had been a likely successor to Mayfield, but withdrew his name because of illness in his family. It's unclear whether that would prevent him from assuming the role permanently now.

Times researcher Caryn Baird and staff writers Steve Nohlgren and Steve Bousquet contributed to this report.

[Last modified July 9, 2007, 23:05:13]