PETERSBURG, Va. -- In the days since CBS 6 senior reporter Wayne Covil broke news that Petersburg Fire Chief Tina Watkins was no longer in charge of the department, no details about her departure have been released by the city.
Watkins' January 2022 hiring was touted as historic because she was the first woman to serve as Petersburg's fire chief.
What went wrong?
CBS 6 anchor Leland Pinder attended Petersburg's first City Council meeting of 2023 in an effort to gain insight into the decision to part ways with Watkins.
Instead of responding to Pinder's questions, Petersburg City Manager John Altman left the meeting through a back door.
Pinder caught up with Vice Mayor Darrin Hill outside the meeting where we called Watkins' departure a "sticky situation" that he could not discuss because it was a personnel issue.
"What are you all looking for in your next leader?" Pinder asked instead. "Clearly you thought you found your leader, and then it didn't work out. So what are you looking for, specifically in the next fire chief?"
"It's a personnel issue, so I can't really make any comments right now," Hill replied.
"About qualities you're looking for in the next fire chief?" Pinder reiterated.
"I just don't want to say that right because it will get twisted and things of that nature," Hill said.
After 34 years with the Richmond Fire Department, Watkins lasted less than a year on the job in Petersburg.
A few months into the job, the Petersburg Professional Firefighters Association and others became regularly and very critical of the new boss blaming her for years-long equipment maintenance issues, fire trucks being out of service, and staffing issues which led to one fire station being closed over Thanksgiving.
For now, Battalion Chief Chris McGann is leading the department until a new chief is hired.
"Tell me what you bring to this job on an interim basis," Pinder asked McGann outside the meeting.
"I'm going to get back with you [on that],'" McGann replied.
No one from the Petersburg Professional Firefighters Association was able to comment on the situation either.
Watkins also had nothing to say when asked about the situation.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
