Comments on: Sedona Fire District Announces Vacancy on Fire Board

By: Tom Longo

Tom Longo — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 04:36:17 +0000

Sheri,

The votes in the past SFD election clearly showed who their four top picks for the board seats were…Craig Dible was not one of them.

You may know him and like him, but up to now he has been an unknown entity within our community. You having played Dodge Ball with Mr. Dible for years is not adequate enough as a reference. You mention, ” I would ask you to honestly and openly look at his qualifications and his Knowledge prior to ditching him….fair?” That’s a very fair question, but if it wasn’t political pay back, what is his knowledge and qualifications that made him the top candidate for the job? The problem might be that people have seen Mr. Dible always sitting in the back of the board meetings taking copious notes, doing research and advising the people he supported for the board in 2008 and 2010. The minutes will show that he has spoken only once or twice in all these years. Don’t you think that the people in our community have the right to know?

The election is over and it’s time to move forward and help ALL of the board members work together among each other, as well as staff. It’s time for all of them to be part of the same team and to complement each other instead of picking on each other. I firmly believe that all of us should commit ourselves to help make that happen–I know I will!

There are a lot of important issues for the SFD to deal with in these very challenging economic times and all of our efforts need to be focused in that area.

I am VERY encouraged by the leadership being provided by Mr. Blauert and the cooperation among all of the new board members as of late. It will be up to Mr. Dible, as the new appointee, to help and make it work. Reading the minutes for last Wednesday’s Audit Committee meeting makes me feel comfortable that we are moving in the right direction. I sincerely hope it continues!

By: sheri

sheri — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:00:51 +0000

In response to Tom Longo: Lest some of us forget: an election is the final word on who won and who lost. An election is not about the person who did not win…it is only about those people who the majority of the public voted for and were elected.
In the case of the SFD and the vacant seat: the majority of voters elected the people who then, in turn, have the responsibility of filling the vacant Board seat (wasn’t that choice and action that the choice of the preceeding Board?). Why is it so difficult for the public to understand the public process? Sour grapes or do you all just want to fan the embers?

Give the new Board and the newly appointed member an opporturnity….you just might like the results! Oh, and you think there is politicial payback because Craig D was appointed??? I would ask you to honestly and openly look at his qualifications and his Knowledge prior to ditching him….fair?

Craig and I have played Dodge Ball for years on different sides of the fence…yet at this point nothing could make me happier than the knowledge Craig is sitting on the Fire District Board.

I suppose you will attempt to disqualify me too as I did financially support the Non-Union candidates?

By: Tom Longo

Tom Longo — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 21:56:46 +0000

Sad for Sedona,

I definitely agree with you on “The Bully Board is now empowered. Special interest groups are ridiculously out of touch with majority wishes.” But at the same time, had Mr. Rykus withdrawn his candidacy when he found out that he shared the views of FF& M, close to 1500 votes he received at election time would have gone to the slate that lost and there would now be a different composition with a different majority on the Board.

He is a good and honest man, but no match to what is required on the SFD Board at this time.

Let’s remember what happened this past November and let it be a lesson when it’s time for us to vote in 2012.

By: Sad for Sedona

Sad for Sedona — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 08:27:37 +0000

Mr. Mel Rycus deserved this seat. The Bully Board is now empowered. Special interest groups are ridiculously out of touch with majority wishes.

By: Sedona Fire Chief, Nazih M. Hazime

Sedona Fire Chief, Nazih M. Hazime — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 02:16:25 +0000

Today the current 4 Fire Board members will select a 5th member. There has also been a change in the dates and time of the board meetings: The agenda workshop along with public speaking is the second Wednesday of every month at 6:00pm and the Business meeting with no public speaking is the fourth Wednesday of every month at 6:00. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Safety first!

Sincerely,
Nazih M. Hazime
Fire Chief

Sedona Fire District

928.204.8924

NHazime@sedonafire.org

By: Tom Longo

Tom Longo — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 03:21:31 +0000

The vacancy for the seat vacated by former SFD board member Don Harr was just filled this evening by the majority of the board. It’s none other than …Craig Dible, the individual who ran and managed the campaign for Don Harr and Charles Christensen in 2008. He is also the one who performed the same task and helped Dave Blauert and Phillis Erick get elected in the recent election.

Is it really surprising that he is being rewarded for his hard work by being eased into the vacant seat without having to go through a campaign? Are we REALLY to believe that out of nine very capable candidates, he rose to the top? Was he that far superior to the individual who was only six votes behind Blauert in the combined vote and the solid winner in the SFD election in Yavapai County with over 16,000 voters? We all know that’s NOT the case.

Mr. Diable’s appointment was definitely part of a plan that was conceived way in advance to allow the real puppet master to be in an easier position to pull the strings as he sits on the board. This is a further example of what happens when the voters are misled and the votes of the majority are being totally disregarded.

Tom Longo
Sedona, AZ

By: Tom Longo

Tom Longo — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 03:29:03 +0000

The ad to fill the vacancy is posted and the majority of the present board (Christensen, Blauert and Erick) are inviting qualified people to apply for the board seat vacated by Don Harr. Those individuals will be interviewed on January 11th and be appointed at the board meeting of January 22nd. It will definitely be VERY interesting to see who is picked by the majority of the board. If it’s Doug Fitzpatrick(assuming that he will even apply), it will be the fair thing for them to do since he came in only 6 votes behind Blauert. If it’s Joe Demme, who came in with 107 votes less than Dick Fishel or Bert Berkshire, who came in last with 526 votes behind Mel Rycus, it will be obvious to everyone that this majority plotted to have one of their own appointed to provide a stronger majority. This will be perceived by all of the voters as a conflict of interest on the part of the new majority and an excellent reason for a recall. Their actions will determine if they will show that they have integrity or if they become the first SFD board members with the shortest tenure, who will live in shame among our community after being kicked off the board.