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Sedona Fire District Board Members a Farce

Dear Sedona Eye Editor,
Having watched the passing parade of earnest, concerned citizens coming before the Sedona Fire District Governing Board with valid questions and pertinent points regarding a proposed repetitive and redundant audit, I am thoroughly disgusted with the Board’s performance.

The public sat through the charade of “interviewing” three competing businesses for what is an unnecessary audit, then watched as the Board took an immediate vote and chose the company least experienced with fire districts, with the most expensive “estimate” of costs, the same company about whom legitimate concerns regarding conflicts of interest have been raised, but remain unanswered.

Each member of the board was elected – not to rule – but to serve. Exactly whose interests were served by the appallingly obvious foregone conclusion of choosing McGladrey & Pullen? Not the taxpayer who is being consistently disregarded by a board with a penchant for funding personal expenditures and a not-so-hidden agenda. Not the citizenry, whose services are being diminished exponentially rather than enhanced. And certainly not the employees of the fire district who are sacrificing more and more every day!

It seems to me Dave Blauert, Charles Christensen and Phyllis Erick view public input as fodder for their entertainment rather than information for their enlightenment.

At what point will people realize what a farce those members of the Board have become and demand their removal? Before the SFD is totally dismembered, I hope.

Fran McWherter
Village of Oak Creek

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10 Comments

  1. Barbara, Sedona says:

    You were right. Finished reading the minutes to the February 2012 Board meeting on this web site and I see that everything you said turned out to be correct. Wonder if betting pools are starting for how long Kazian lasts?

    Barbara, Sedona

  2. Tony says:

    A ladder truck when all fires can be fought for the street level? 14 million dollar annual budget when the last significant fire, Lumberman’s was in 2005? Every management employee with a cell phone and a data plan? Lots of new SFD SUV’S as personal cars? A com center with 3 people on duty, and boosts it call level by counting burn permit calls. A fire district that gives free ambulance rides, not emergency mind you, but if you just are in the hospital and need a ride.

    They will spend all the money you give them. Their motto “You can buy a better fire department, but you can’t pay more.”

  3. Ann says:

    Tony, again, you are just showing what you don’t know about the fire service. The fire department says it is not a matter of height, but reach. So, like the Lumberman’s Fire, it wasn’t a matter of the building being tall (because it was only one story), but rather wide. Try standing on the parking lot level and getting water on the fire in the middle of what was the building. Very difficult Oh, and the SFD does not give “free ambulance rides”. I know that because I used the service. I am a resident of Sedona, but SFD billed my insurance company. However, as I am a resident of Sedona, I am told that that if my insurance company doesn’t pay or I have no insurance, they will write it off because i pay taxes here. Not so for visitors!

  4. Ann says:

    By the way, I’ve lived here a very long time. The motto you quote was actually the “Canyon Crew’s Motto” for SFD…. They were volunteers.

  5. Tony says:

    Greetings,

    Wikipedia “A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel. Several battalions are grouped to form a regiment or a brigade.”

    There is a lot of push back from obvious Sedona Fire employees and supporters. “Proud professionals,” would have no need to respond. Their excellence and efficiency would stand on its own. An overstaffed and top heavy organization http://www.sedonafire.org/documents/budget2012.pdf Page 8, should live in fear of being exposed.

    In Sedona Fire we have a Chief, an Assistant Chief, 3 Battalion Chiefs, A fire Marshall, 4 Captains, and here is the part I don’t want to see any cuts in, 30 Firefighters, EMT’s and EMS’s. Maybe I’m too used to private enterprise, but 10 very well paid chiefs to 30 Indians seems a bit high. The 911 center has 1 supervisor to every 2 com specs. It’s actually 1 to 1.8, but what the heck, I’ll give them a break. These numbers were taken from Sedona Fire organizational chart and payroll. All facts.

    In Admin/accounting there are 5 non uniform staff, timekeeping is done by Telestaff, payroll by ADP, once again, just a fact.

    A question, was the districts ISO rating higher or lower when we had a volunteer fire department?

    Before you criticize me, call me a liar, or complain, cite a FACT. I have. I have given my sources.

    I don’t want my tax dollars wasted. The only way you might is if you worked for Sedona fire, and especially if you work for Sedona Fire and don’t live in their district, as many do not as they are not required to.

    Have a nice day!

  6. Tony says:

    To the above post, I made a mistake, there are 30 firefighters, EMT’s and EMS per shift, 3 shifts. 90 actual responders total, on for 48 hours, off for 96. 30 on duty in any given 48 hour period. It they are indeed professionals, how much supervision should they need?

    The 48 hour shifts saves them commuting time. In other districts, as in some in Phoenix, they can only do 24 hours shifts, because after being on your feet for 24 hours you are worn out.

  7. Dick H says:

    This is for Tony .You, my friend, don’t know what you are talking about when it comes to emergency services, let alone the military. Span of control is very different when it comes to life and death decisions, unlike the so called private enterprise challenges you profess to have made. You, and your ex-con buddy, need to find another hobby. The taxpayers of Sedona Fire District are much smarter than you give them credit for.

  8. m allen says:

    I can read a book about NASA but it does not qualify me to run the space program. You reading some basic information on SFD from a website will never qualify you to judge the men and women who work there. You keep using statistic as facts, they are not the same thing. Your lack of knowledge about SFD and public safety in general is overwhelming. If you are so committed to public efficiency then run for the fire board or join a committee.

    You have a vendetta. A small petty vendetta against people who don’t even work for SFD anymore. The venom and hate in your posts stems from something much deeper than government waste. or inefficiency. The number and frequency of your ill informed rants belies your pathologic hatred of SFD. The money you pay in taxes every year is well spent and a fair trade for the services you receive.

  9. Tony says:

    Once again, you say I am wrong but deny the facts. One of the people who has shown questionable judgement is Hazime, who is instrumental in this recall.

    My life, when not in my hands, is in the hands of the first responder, not the Battalion Chief, Fire Marshal, Assistant Chief, Chief, or admin people. I want the first responders to be professional. The rest of the staff I want minimized. I don’t want those in power who maintained the overstaffed condition. “Chief Hazime” for example.

    “The Facts Lose Value: The worst flaw of the slave is not necessarily his ability to overlook the truth, but his ability to see it, comprehend it, and then shrug it off anyway because it is contrary to his mission to fulfill his private delusions. For the slave, the truth exists, but is no longer useful. Lies make his universe turn, and facts are a tool to be used or cast aside at his leisure.:” Brandon Smith from Alt Market

    Have a nice Day

  10. M allen says:

    Tony
    I still don’t see any facts in your post. Just statistics applied to a void. (by void I mean the space between your ears.)

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