Hurricane center staff asks for new boss

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- About half of the staff of the National Hurricane Center have signed a petition calling for the ouster of the center's director, saying its "effective functioning" is at stake as the Atlantic hurricane season heads toward its peak.

"An unfortunate public debate is now occurring over the ability of the National Hurricane Center to meet its mission," the petition, released Thursday, says. "The undersigned staff of the National Hurricane Center has concluded that the center needs a new director, and with the heart of the hurricane season fast approaching, urges the Department of Commerce to make this happen as quickly as possible."

Twenty-three people signed the petition -- about half the center's total staff, but about 70 percent of those who were available and discussed the statement Thursday, said James Franklin, a senior hurricane specialist.

The center's current director, Bill Proenza, took over in January after the retirement of Max Mayfield.

Proenza caused an uproar last month with comments about a key hurricane satellite called QuikScat. The satellite is five years beyond its life expectancy and operating on a backup transmitter. Proenza said if it were to fail, forecast tracks could be thrown off by as much as 16 percent.

He told CNN that Washington reprimanded him for the comments -- "They wanted me to be quiet about it."

But one of the center's veteran forecasters said Proenza's comments were misguided.

"QuikScat is another tool that we use to forecast," Lixion Avila said. "The forecast will not be degraded if we don't have the QuikScat."

The Commerce Department this week launched an unscheduled review of the hurricane center after word of the staff's dissatisfaction started to become public, The Associated Press reported.

Hurricane center staffers told CNN's John Zarrella they were not consulted before Proenza made the remarks and replacing the satellite would not be one of their priorities. But they said their dissatisfaction stems not only from Proenza's comments, but also from the environment at the center -- one of closed doors and the public airing of dirty laundry.

Staffers say they are worried the hurricane center's mission is being undermined and that public confidence in the center could erode -- meaning the public might not take the center's storm warnings or evacuation alerts seriously, for instance.

The statement was not sent to the Commerce Department, Zarrella said, but was sent to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's public affairs office. The National Hurricane Center is under NOAA's authority. E-mail to a friend

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