My husband and I are fairly new to the VOC and as such were not up to speed with all of the political news related to the SFD recall election. A few weeks ago my husband signed your petition that was posted at the barber shop because he felt that everyone has the right to “toss their hat into the ring”.

After reading about you on this web site, I can agree with some of the things that you say about making some bad choices in prior years of one’s life and learning from that. But, I’m not seeing that “learning from that” part anywhere.

I’ve been trying to do my homework related to the SFD and have read many of the Board minutes to become educated with FACTS. I now see how poor the current Board is and why we need a change. I for one feel that a more educated and professional group of people are needed to spend or watch my tax dollars.

While you have said on this site that you’ve learned from life’s lessons I wonder if that is truly the fact. Having been involved with drugs and paying the price, have you really learned from your missteps when you put the blame onto others? Some years later to be arrested for DWI and then put THAT blame on to others as well.

But, all of that aside, if you have really learned by your past missteps, now some years later, when the community questions factual information about you, the person that may be spending our tax dollars, instead of taking the mature path, you retort with many unproven rants and then try to direct people to a one sided web site. Not a very mature or professional way that I would want my future fire board to carry themselves.

Right now after the very poor management of the current board, I feel that we need an educated and mentally mature representative on the SFD board not someone such as yourself who flies off of the handle with unproven data and rants.

I’m sorry but, after reading this site I feel that we will no longer be supporting your point of view nor give you our vote.

Mrs. Rodger Thomas
VOC Resident

Once again, do you think that makes me any happier about the waste at Sedona Fire? They can’t fire me as they did her..

What I would love to hear from those that oppose the current board is some FACTS.

” I’m willing to bet.” Or ” We do not pay high taxes in Sedona.” “And how could she possibly know how hard the Admin staff works or even have an understanding of what they do” , the problem is, no one knows exactly what they do.

Or the best one ” Stop your lies.” Without any evidence.

The legal fees are high in part because Citizens are allowed to contact the Fire District lawyers. In part due to the Hazime resignation, In part due to the search for a new chief. In part to obtain legal advice on the cuts.

If you can prove I have lied, cite evidence. You falsely accusing me of lying only makes me want to get the truth out more.

Have a nice day!

Your taxes haven’t gone up from Sedona Fire in a number of years. They are going down and not because of this current Fire Board. Don’t you get it? They have REALLY wasted your precious tax dollars. And your Funny Farm website may contain some factual information, but it is so distorted, full of misinformation and lies and oozing with bitterness, that it is hard to understand what is true. It is really laughable that Mr. Paffrath chooses to use that as a “fact check”. Go to the source. SFD is a public agency required to give out information to the public.

Seriously, Mr. Paffrath, you should stop replying to these comments. You come across more and more like a spoiled jerk baby. Once SFD finds out that one of its members has broken the law or violated policy, they are investigated and if confirmed, terminated. So, you can list all those individuals and point to them as being worse criminals than you, but they are not running for office. You, apparently, are.

As a citizen in Sedona, I am really very tired of the hate-filled rhetoric and ugliness of local politics. All of you – on both sides – just behave!

She was wrongfully terminated, 4 male fire fighters missed the exact same class, no action was taken against them. She was terminated. When we brought this to Hazime’s attention, he said ” I’m just focusing on you.” Is that fair or good judgement? She filed a hostile work environment claim to Karen Danes, it was not acted upon as Karen said her boss Terry will be quitting soon. My guess is she was terminated because as I was writing the board, they fired the whistle blower. I was writing then as now because I hate my tax dollars being wasted. Plus she was fired on Terry , her boss, last day. What kind of person fires someone on their last day? Oh, yea, it was also the anniversary of the day Terry’s then husband robbed and killed one of his clients. We have complete documentation with recordings to substantiate all of the above. But as AZ is a right to work state, they can terminate at will.

I’m tired of my taxes going up, not just for Sedona Fire but in all levels of government. I’m tired of one of the highest sales taxes in the country, 10.4% in Sedona. I’m tired of wasteful spending. The ladder truck for example. Or 5 people in accounting when the timekeeping is done by Telestaff and the payroll by ADP. Or perhaps one supervisor for every 2 employees in the 911 center.

Because she worked for Sedona Fire I am aware of much of the waste that went on, both under Hazime and those before him. Sedona Fire employees are the highest paid in the area, period. Ok, but cut the unnecessary personnel. There are people in Sedona that can not afford higher taxes. I don’t happen to be one of them, but I can afford to let others know.

I don’t hate the Fire Department. I hate my tax dollars being wasted. If you work for Sedona, you might think I hate you , I don’t. If you don’t actually do any work, you should fear for your job.

Waste was wrong before they fired her. It’s still wrong now. The citizens of Sedona that are not on Sedona payroll are not here to be milked for taxes. Eventually other peoples money runs out. Don’t kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

The current board has made some progress in reducing expenses. There is much more to be done. Even then, the current board will not touch the staff that actually saves lives and property. The current board is aware of much of the waste, yet they do not want to lay off a single employee.

If you want higher taxes, vote for Hazime, Schoen and Cooperman.

I hate lies. Karma is a wonderful thing.

To Justin Paffrath: You came to one Fire Board meeting, mumbled something incomprehensible during the public forum, and then left the meeting early. Oh, I am sure you are very knowledgeable about SFD operations and finances… Why don’t YOU got to the SFD offices and request accurate information instead of relying on information from people in this town who do not care one bit about public safety? All they care about is cutting taxes and if it is to the detriment of our safety – then, so be it!

Check your facts, young man. You said at the Candidates Forum earlier this week that you “heard” our firefighters don’t shop at Bashas’ because it is not a “union shop”. Well, you heard wrong. That is a lie. I see them there a lot. You said we don’t need firefighters on duty at night because businesses are closed and no one is out hiking, etc. This is one of the more ludicrous things a quasi-politician has ever stated. Guess what? People have heart attacks at night, some businesses are open all night, people do hike at night in Sedona, there are car accidents, etc.

I do not want to pay high taxes either – although we do not pay high taxes in Sedona – but, what I want are rational, intelligent, reasonable citizens on our Sedona Fire Board who make good decisions based on true fiscal responsibility and a real concern for the public they serve. In my estimation, that is not Christensen, Erick, Blauert, Dible – or for that matter, you.