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Comments to Robert S Wood’s SFD Article

Sedona Fire Chief, Nazih M. Hazime

Sedona Fire Chief Nazih M. Hazime

Sedona AZ (May 11, 2010) – I just read the article submitted by my fellow SFD taxpayer, Robert S. Wood in the latest printed edition of the Sedona Times and need to comment on some of the items he mentioned. My Yavapai County tax bill also includes 26% for the SFD and 48% (School Equalization, Sedona Unified School District #9, Yavapai Community College, Valley Academy Ed. District) for services that as a retired individual I no longer need, or if I do, they are not as critical as fire and EMS. Paying $831.15 a year ( a decrease of $75.57 from the previous year’s taxes) for the top notch services we are getting, is a BARGAIN.

As a municipal finance director, I always had to make sure that the City Manager, Mayor and City Council received accurate figures from my staff and I. In my profession, that was critical because we have all seen too many individuals manipulate their figures to prove their case. I assume that as a TIME/LIFE correspondent, Mr.Wood also had to make sure that his facts were correct before he submitted his articles. Therefore, in light of complete accuracy within our respective professions, I need to challenge some of Mr. Wood’s facts and figures.

The per cost per capita of $179 for the City of Flagstaff does not include, as stated very clearly on page 2 by Chief Hazime’s article, the following high ticket items because they are part of the city’s Capital Improvement Program( fire stations, fire trucks, ambulances, etc.). In addition, because the SFD is not within a municipality, as also stated by Chief Hazime, they have additional costs in the general administration area.

Sedona Fire EMS ArizonaWe should also remember that the SFD covers an area of 168 square miles, while the Flagstaff Fire Department is responsible only for 63.6 square miles. In our district we have 20,000 residents, an additional day time population and 4,000,000 visitors/tourists annually who contribute very heavily to the economy of this area. As we note in the local paper, they also benefit considerably from the services of the SFD. Flagstaff has a population of 60,000 residents( 40,000 more than the SFD’s) and that helps lower the cost per capita because all of the expenses for their fire department are spread throughout all of it’s residents. All of these factors need to be considered when we compute the cost per capita. It’s very important that we compare apples with apples and not apples with oranges.

Mr. Wood mentions a surplus of $5.5 million which, I am sure, includes the previously approved construction of the Chapel Fire Station, As we all know, our fire stations , unlike those of our neighboring cities, are not centrally located because of the geographical area we cover. In order to bridge that gap, SFD staff, rightfully so, proposed the construction of the new station.

Robert S. Wood, Sedona Times guest columnist

Robert S. Wood, Sedona Times guest columnist

In closing, I need to mention that I went to the website suggested by Mr. Wood. As I glanced at the chart showing a comparison of salaries, I noticed that the salary figures for the SFD paid fire personnel were the ones taken from the proposed 2010/11 budget, while the other fire jurisdictions in the Verde Valley were for 2006/07 (except for Clarkdale, which was for 2007/08). Once I saw that, I had no trust for any other data being shown there. As I mentioned before, we all need to be careful when we quote things and make comparisons, because figures and data can be easily manipulated.

In the upcoming November election it’s critical that we make sure that the vacancies are filled by individuals who believe in open government and not back room politics. It is also crucial that these individuals are completely honest and truly fiscally responsible, while still maintaining the quality of services that the SFD’s residential/business community is accustomed to and expects.

Sedona Times Article.doc (33 KB)

 

Abe Koniarsky
Sedona AZ
 
For the best in Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

For the best in Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

 

1 Comment

  1. sfd firefighter says:

    Full disclosure: I’m a full time firefighter/paramedic with SFD.

    Thank you Mr. Koniarsky,

    Recently the local press has been inundated with negative and biased information that seeks to discredit the fire district and its employees. Firefighters on the engines and ambulances know, due to our interaction with the public that by and far we enjoy a vast majority of public support. This support is what keeps our collective heads up when we open the local news paper and read how SFD and its employees are fleecing the community. I make less that $18 dollars and my training and skill set far out ranks that of a nurse who makes $30. I spend 48 hours away from my family and commute an hour Sedona because there is no way I could afford to purchase a home here. I do all this gladly because I love my job, the community I work in and the people I work with. I hopefully will retire in 20 years with a 50% pension (not 126% as some foolish and angry citizens would have you believe), but knowing full well that due to MY career choice I will die 10 years younger that than the national average. My family will temporarily suffer if the fire board choose to stay on the path that they currently on and cut the budget by 20%. Your family may permanently suffer. Please use your best judgement to read between the lines and ask questions of your elected officials. Come to a board meeting, there are two this month. Witness for your self the distain with which Mr. Christensen treats us and by proxy you. Decide for your self.

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