Sedona AZ (July 19, 2012) – In a Letter to the SedonaEye.com editors, Tom Longo of Sedona sent the following overview of the Sedona Fire District Board Meeting of July 18, 2012:
If you were unable to come to this board meeting, be sure to watch the video when it comes out in the next couple of days and it will be found on http://www.sedonafire.org/news/meeting-videos/.
The present board went easy on former recalled board members, Blauert, Erick and Christensen on the letter they received from The AZ Attorney General’s(AG) Office.
They did not go into much detail and passed the resolutions that were required as the conditions imposed by the AG for Open Meeting Law violations by the former board members.
Mr. Blauert spoke up during the Public Forum part of the agenda and accused the present board for leaking the letter to the public. That charge was vehemently rejected by Board Chairman Ty Montgomery.
A bit later, Chapel resident Karen Schmitt stated that, as the complainant, she received a copy of this letter and after being reassured by the investigator at the AG’s Office that it was now public information, she shared it with over a hundred people. If interested, a copy can be picked up at Fire Station #1 counter.
Wendy Tanzer shared some very interesting information that came out of the research she did on what was being recommended by Board Member Craig Dible as the architect for a totally revised Midway Station in the Chapel Area, Robert S. West from OZ Architecture. Her findings showed a potential conflict of interest for David Blauert and Craig Dible in their business arrangements with this very same architect.
Fire Chief Kris Kazian was also directed by the Board to look at the feasibility to conduct at least two of the future SFD Board meetings at Fire Station #3 in the VOC. Video streaming and sound amplification were the key issues to be reviewed.
The SFD Board also introduced a motion to direct Chief Kazian to ask original architects, LEA, to start redesigning the architectural drawings from a 3-bay to a 2-bay fire station and begin to move forward on the building of a new station.
The motion was approved 4 to 1, with Board Member Dible voting against it. To do that, funds in the amount of $75,000 were budgeted in the FY 2012-2013 budget that was just approved by the Board. As stated by Chief Kazian, in a perfect world, the long awaited station could be completed in 14 months. He could not make any promises, since we don’t live in a perfect world.
As you can see, it surely was a meeting that you will want to see in full at http://www.sedonafire.org/news/meeting-videos .
Tom Longo Sedona, AZ
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I know this is the Internet and people post all sorts of stuff which isn’t true, so maybe I should have just ignored Mr. Longo’s accusation.
But then I decided I’d better correct what he said.
Back in 2007, the original Midway (Chapel) Fire Station, as proposed by SFD staff, was described in the Red Rock News: “The station design is intended to be small, similar to that of a single family home with a garage.”
By 2008, the proposed station had grown to a three-bay structure over 9,000 square feet in size.
In 2011, the SFD Chapel Station Study Committee was created. In the Committee’s Report to the SFD Board they recommended the LEA Architects design – downsized from three bays to two and from 9,144 square feet to 6,685 square feet. The estimated construction cost had also been reduced from $2.8 million to $1.4 million.
Last fall, I wondered if there was a way to build the station closer to the original (2007) concept. I started looking for a station that was about 5,000 square feet, cost no more than $1 million and would fit in with the surrounding neighborhood.
After an extensive Internet search, I narrowed it down to two stations that met my criteria – one in Kingman, Arizona and the other in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. I decided the Glenwood Springs Station was the best choice.
I found out OZ Architecture did the work and Robert West was the architect in charge of the project. I contacted Mr. West and he provided me with all the additional information I requested about his station. His letters to me are included in my Glenwood Springs Fire Station Three Revised Report which I presented at the July 18, 2012 SFD Governing Board Meeting. This report should be posted on the SFD Website as an attachment to the meeting minutes.
Now we get to Mr. Longo’s accusation.
Referring to Architect Robert West, he states Wendy Tanzer found a “potential conflict of interest for David Blauert and Craig Dible in their business arrangements with this very same architect.”
And here’s the truth.
I have never even met Mr. West. My sole contact with him has been over the phone or on the Internet — requesting additional information about the fire station he designed and built in Glenwood Springs. Neither Mr. Blauert or I have ever had any “business arrangements” with him.
time for Dave Blauert to shup up/stop making a jackass out of yourself sir
That’s you problem Diable!!!!! You think you’re the smartest man in the world, and instead of getting input from your peers and and your own Fire experts from the Sedona Fire District, do go off half cocked, thinking you know what’s best for al!, then we have to listen to your nonsense information you complied because you’re the smartest man in the world!!! Well guess what, take your fire house design we have been listening to for months and throw it in the garbage were it belongs. November can’t come fast enough!!!!
I believe one of the principal responsibilities of a member of a fire board is to represent the taxpayers.
I became concerned that the proposed Midway (Chapel) Fire Station might be larger than necessary and could end up costing us more than we needed to spend.
I searched for a smaller, less expensive alternative to present to the SFD Board for its consideration.
And, as you know, at last Wednesday’s SFD Board Meeting, my proposal was rejected by the other board members in favor of the larger, more expensive LEA Architects design.
So the decision has been made and that’s the end of it.
All I hear from your comments and responses are alot of ME, ME and alot of I, and I’s. Maybe if you let down your ego and actually get some input from your peers and your own Fire experts (as I said before), maybe your design wouldn’t of wound up in the trash (were it belongs). By the way, I’m one of those taxpapers you supposed to represent, I don’t want a firehouse designed by a school teacher from Beverly Hills who thinks he knows everything!!!! I defer to the experts!!!!
Oh yes Dible-one more thing.
With all the things that were left out of your submitted,design that fire houses actually need to function. Things that the Chief mentioned at the last meeting, such as, turnout gear decon area, place to fill the scba and oxygen bottles and a place for the officer to do his administrative duties.
There are a whole list that was mentioned that your design ommited that are included in the LEA design. These are vital to Firehouse operations and bring the cost of your firehouse design close to the LEA design. As I said maybe if you asked your own Fire experts you would of known that!!!! Or if you ever stepped foot in a firehouse and took the time to know what was needed, you might know what your talking about!!!
My message is in response to Mr. Dibles note above.
I appreciate elected officials who represent the taxpayers and THOUGHT that you were one of those people. As a person who likes to read between the lines, when you say, “to represent the taxpayers”, I noticed that you didn’t say; represent ALL taxpayers or MOST taxpayers. It appears that you represent only a hand full.
I would appreciate if, during the remaining time that you have on the Board, that you stop pushing your own agenda. Your subtle attempts to twist words benefits only yourself, because you think that the general public doesn’t notice, BUT WE DO. Such as:
• A few meetings ago, you were discussing how many firefighters would be staffed at the Mid-way station. Knowing full well that you were stating miss-information, you spoke about 6 – 10 firefighters working at the station. That miss-information was quickly corrected by Chief Kris who told you VERY CLEARLY that the number of staff always was and always would be 3. Did you recant your miss-information, NO!
• You present your “report” to the community appearing to be the “WHITE KNIGHT” trying to save us hundreds of thousands of dollars with YOUR version of a fire station from Colorado. Unfortunately for you, Chief Kris clearly explained that YOUR station didn’t meet the basic needs of a fire station on many levels. I can only imagine how much more YOUR station would cost if built to proper standards, perhaps the same as the LEA station? Would you ever admit that?? Didn’t think so.
Mr. Dible, my friends and I won’t soon forget that YOU are one of the five that were found guilty of the open meeting law. You are just as culpable as your three partners in crime.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Rodger Thomas
VOC – On Line Viewer
Not quite the end of it, Craig. The committee that was appointed to evaluate the need for the Fire Station worked in a professional manner to do a needs analysis. I didn’t see you show up once to give us your concerns or sage advice.
Instead you move forward on Google and information from your buddies to find a cheaper model. You still need to answer for your associations with the two contractors that you presented figures from. (See Wendy Tanzer’s letter)
Mr. Dible is correct – insofar as his not having a business association with Mr. West. Please see my letter posted on SedonaEye entitled “Former and Present SFD Board Members Fail to Disclose Contractor Association” for what was actually presented at the meeting — the questionable associations of and potential conflicts of interest for recalled and subsequently defeated former SFD Governing Board Chairman, Dave Blauert and current Board member, Craig Dible.
Time for you to resign, Craig. You stepped over the line. I suggest that Attorney Whittington begin an investigation. The Attorney General better weigh in too. Thank you for breaking this story.
Tom M., uptown
The video for the July 18th meeting is now available at http://www.sedonafire.org/news/meeting-videos/
blauert is a pompous windbag
Mr. Dible,
It is interesting how you even bothered to mention the formation of a Chapel station committee, and the fact that they compromised on the 3 bay vs. 2 bay argument that has ensued for the last 5 years. That in itself was not an easy task., That committee was made up of professionals and honest-to-goodness taxpaying citizens, I’m still unclear about why your Chairman appointed 8 good people to study the problem from the beginning, and come up with a recommendation, because as you just stated yourself on this website, you then proceeded to do your own extensive research! Even though the Committee greatly reduced the size and cost to meet you and your group half way, you decided to find something that fit your own personal specs! (again, YOUR words. Your letter says, “I wanted,” “I started looking,” I narrowed,” “I decided” “my criteria,” I found,” “I contacted,” and “I presented!”
I do not believe you want the people of the Midway area to have a station at all, but I have seen the design you have unilaterally “selected” for us. As someone who owns a home within a stone’s throw of where the station will be built, I’ve seen cowbarns that are more attractive. The Chapel property we speak of is between two beautiful houses of worship, and just a few feet south of the road leading to one of the biggest tourist attractions in town: the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It goes without saying that the new chief that you just spent $14,000 hiring says the design you submitted will not meet the needs of the district as is, either.
Look Craig, may I be blunt with you? You took absolutely NO interest in the fact that we needed a 6th fire station in the past. The need has been verified by three different chiefs now. It’s needed in order to balance the needs of the community. It will lower response times to the Chapel area and just as important, to the Village, when their ambulance is out. The only reason you’re gun ho lately, is because you knew with a new board the truth would prevail. You simply wanted to jump in and try to lead the parade so it goes where YOU and your three recalled friends want. Some think you simply interjected your little plan to start up the controversy of the past 5 years all over again about size, design, and cost. Well, it won’t work this time. There are now four honest people on the fireboard that are going to be reasonable and fiscally responsible, while at the same time, serve the taxpayers by using the available expertise around them.
Oh, my G-D, Mr. Dible, after reading the story’s about what you have done since you were PLACED on the SFD Board, I never realized that you weren’t in the building profession.
Is it true that you were a school teacher in California? Where on earth did you get the idea that YOU knew anything about what a firefighter needed or didn’t need?
For the past few months I would watch you on the internet from my home and be intrigued when you would speak about “your findings” and “your research”. I really thought you knew what you were talking about. What credentials do you have to speak with any authority about what our young dedicated professionals need? I really think that it’s time for you to step down from the SFD Board. Don’t wait for November, just take whatever dignity that you thought you had, and resign.