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BILL PROENZA OUT AS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER DIRECTOR

Hurricane center chief reassigned Bill Proenza, director of the National Hurricane Center, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press Friday, July 6, 2007 at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Proenza was temporarily reassigned Monday, July 9, 2007 amid calls from about half his staff that he be ousted for undermining the public's confidence in the center's forecasts. Director Bill Proenza will be replaced by Deputy Director Ed Rappaport, said center spokesman Dennis Feltgen. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) MIAMI - The director of the National Hurricane Center was temporarily reassigned Monday, four days after many of the center's employees called...

Hurricane Center Chief Reassigned From Associated Press July 09, 2007 3:14 PM EDT MIAMI - The director of the National Hurricane Center was temporarily reassigned Monday, four days after many of the center's employees called for his removal. More than 20 of Bill Proenza's nearly 50 employees signed a letter Thursday urging federal officials to dismiss him. They claimed he had damaged the public's confidence in their forecasts by repeatedly and publicly criticizing the federal government for not providing enough money, particularly to replace an aging weather satellite. The staff members said Proenza misrepresented the problem with the satellite, and...

The new director of the National Hurricane Center, under fire from staff members who wanted him ousted, said Friday that he won't resign and that the disagreements can be resolved. Director Bill Proenza replaced Max Mayfield in January. On Thursday, 23 employees - about half his staff - urged the government to removed him immediately. "We may have some disagreements in the philosophy of making changes at the hurricane center in the future as far as what we want for new capability, new science and technology," Proenza said in a phone interview. "Does that justify removing someone?" The senior...

Three senior forecasters at the National Hurricane Center called Tuesday for the ouster of recently appointed director Bill Proenza, saying he has damaged public confidence in their forecasts, fractured morale and lost their support. ''I don't think that Bill can continue here,'' said James Franklin, one of five senior forecasters at the center. ``I don't think he can be an effective leader.'' Two others -- Richard Pasch and Rick Knabb -- told The Miami Herald that they concur. ''We need a change of leadership here at the hurricane center,'' Pasch said. ``It's pretty much as simple as that.'' The open...