||| FROM SADIE BAILEY |||
The new Fire Chief and current BOFC are campaigning hard for the exact same permanent Levy Lid Lift that got rejected by the voters in the primary by at least 2/3 of us. There are signs up everywhere, mailed brochures, town hall meetings. There’s lots of talk about the trust they say they’ve built in the past two years. Maybe so… couldn’t have got much worse. Read the latest mailed brochure carefully. The story they’re selling is partly true, but it’s full of holes.
I think voters deserve to know more of the history and what needs healing, before casting our ballots out of guilt or fear. Can a new permanent levy ever be revoked by the next, or any, commission? Is the current commission pursuing additional ways to raise monies? If they’re really sincere about fixing budget woes, wouldn’t they have hired a new chief at a comparable
pay scale and contract conditions with the outgoing Chief?
Our new Chief’s contract includes: $151K a year (25% more than Chief Williams’s $110 K contract). She was given an 18-month ‘golden parachute’ severance package (over $200 K). The other disturbing and almost unheard-of contract benefit she got is that all FIVE commissioners must unanimously decide to release her from her contract. I don’t know if other candidates were even sought for Chief.
Unless someone can prove illegalities and throw this contract out (good luck with that, since previous records requests were either never given, or so badly redacted that they were unreadable) we’re between a rock and a hard place, financially.
No matter how great Chief vanSchaick may be – and I hope that she lives up to her amazing contract – this latest brochure’s arguments for laying off Seth and George seem disingenuous, and a cowardly way to brute-force a Public vote and put further strain on already-serious budget woes – then blame the sacrificial victims because OIFR paid a bunch of money to give them paramedic training, and they didn’t complete it. Ouch. Hmmm… seems to be some hypocrisy here. The blamers take no responsibility for their own blessings of hefty pay-raises and collective bargaining agreements, the new chief’s unusually generous and financially-binding contract, and soon, an assistant Chief, hired by the Chief- with only two candidates interviewed.
By rights, this all should have been decided by the incoming commission. Any commissioner replacing an appointee will be seated at the end of November – not next January.
When fire safety vehicles and equipment have not been replaced and repaired in the time frames mandated by the state, why is the community being rated by the Washington Survey and Ratings Bureau (WSRB) – and not OIFR? The new Chief seems worried about those ratings, claiming they could hurt homeowners’ insurance, her justification for rushing into hiring the assistant chief. One wonders what his contract will be like. Can we afford it?
We are two fire engines down from the four we should have – and those are both in dire need of upgrades and repairs in order to be safe for both our frontline responders and the people and buildings they are asked to save. If the loan for the new ambulance ordered is approved, that would help. Still… all this high-falutin,’ high-pay hiring and binding contracts is going on at great cost, in a department that is supposed to be broke and in the red. I don’t get it.
Our last two local career EMTs threatened with job loss, if the levy fails, have five certifications each. Their off-island captain has none. If/when these two are laid off, they lose all their accrued 10+ years vacation days and personal time. They will be cashed-out when laid off – which means they will owe very high taxes for this year, and have to pay everything back if they get re-hired, and start all over on vacation days and personal time.
This raises questions. If we’re not running out of money to pay them until the end of 2024, why is the outgoing commission making the decision to lay them off as soon as elections are over if the levy fails? I think we can raise the money, and be creative about it.
Think on this: The majority of our firefighters live off-island;. How would they get to us in time, in the event of a summer wildfire emergency in, say, Eastsound UGA? (Who pays their travel expenses?). There’s so much missing information.
The incoming commission recognizes that we need change. They won’t underestimate what they and this community can do with respectful, collaborative relations with the community, staff, and volunteers – not pitting themselves against us, or the people we value who risk their lives for us. They want to gain our trust; I can’t say ‘again,’ because I’m not sure when or if
there was trust. But this can change and be healed.
We also have a responsibility to stay engaged and involved. We the People are the government. In a taxing district, it’s important to remember this, and keep showing up, communicating, engaging. The commission governs the Chief. The Chief/Manager(s) do the bidding of the commission – not the other way around.
I look forward to what we can do together. It’s time.
Proposal of laying off 2 full time employees but hiring an off island Assistant Chief seems like there could be a better solution. The current levy expires at the end of 2024.
A new levy proposal with term limit can be put forward by the new Board of Commissioners with public input.
Sadie. BRAVO! The mailer was a justification for choices of appointed commissioners. At their meeting they were reviewing a budget. No commissioner asked a question – it became a campaign event, another “town-hall” where they explained their spending choices, a regurgitation of the mailer. The leadership of the department needs refocusing by elected officials that can provide good governance. Options need to be considered, the community engaged, creativity employed. I hope everyone carefully consider their vote, a critical vote to assure we have coat-effective EMS, by voting down the levy and voting in Mr Ehrmantraut and Mr Gaylord. Thanks again Sadie for providing such a concise summary of the “truth”.
The potential new fire commission members have a multi-talented study group working a new spending plans with financial spreadsheets for a new levy most likely targeted for the April special election. It will be substantially less costly to taxpayers than the current proposed levy crushingly defeated in the primary election but questionably put up to a second vote with the Island now awash in red signs by fire district union and present fire commissioners . Please support replacing the present fire commissioners and letting newly elected commissioners have a strong say in restoring trust in the Fire District and proposing a lower tax rate levy that still maintains very already good service levels and provides the fire and EMT apparatus and training needed for a well functioning public safety organization.
Thanks for printing this, Lin, and thanks for the responses fleshing out some of the reasons to vote and think well on it. I hope more people can understand this now, before they cast any ballots.
A possible correction:
When I said that our two EMTs being laid off were being cashed out, I’m not sure of the accuracy of what that meant – but it’s not severance – no golden parachutes for them. I think what it amounts to is that they would be paid for their unused vacation and personal days (PTOs) – hence, not having those accrued days anymore if they can be rehired by the incoming commission. (Unless maybe they don’t spend any of the money and pay it back – but how do you not spend it when you have no job?). Taxes may not be huge for on that money, but still… If we want to hire them back ASAP (though these layoffs NEVER NEEDED HAPPEN), these layoffs are – in my view – an insult – like some kind of ‘demotion,’ to two people that have given their hearts and souls and many years to their work. THIS is no way to repay them for that work, time, and care. I just wanted to correct that potential misperception on my part. In thinking this through, though… it even feels worse somehow – like I just stuck my hand in poo.
Sadie said, “The majority of our firefighters live off-island.” WHAT??!! That is of course not even remotely true! While most readers aren’t going to wade through her usual interminable tirades, those that do should use a jaundiced eye. I have been a member of more than one fire and rescue department, and consider OIFR to be one of the very best. If you want it to remain that way, then please support it. Your life and well being may depend on it!
Oh Dan, sinking to scare tactics now? The district is funded through the end of 2024. According to their own numbers, even without this levy passing, they end 2024 with over a million dollars in cash!
As far as firefighters “living on island” goes—-Sadie is talking about front line paid responders. Besides our longest tenured union members Seth Ybarra and George Schermerhorn, all of the others live live off island. This includes both candidates for the assistant chief job.
If it were up to me I would pay Chief Holly more to put up with the constant berating brought about by everyone. She has her degree, her EMT-P , and runs two stations on island. She is the first female chief and frankly is a diligent and well experienced firefighter. Attacking her salary only shows how you are grasping for straws. Many chiefs are paid more than 150k a year up to 225k. If she were a man would we be bringing her salary into this? Just thoughts. Thank you for your candor.
@Dan Christopherson; My ‘interminable tirades’ may contain errors or not be accurate – so instead of lashing out in your own tirade, please correct me with the facts. I can admit when I’m wrong and don’t have my facts straight – can you? I probably meant EMTs, not firefighters; it was late and I was tired. Thanks for pointing out my mistakes.
The phrase “jaundiced eye” is a frequently used idiom. The first word—jaundiced—doesn’t literally refer to the disease of jaundice. Rather, the adjective describes a prejudice veering towards the negative.
The second word—eye—refers to a viewpoint or perspective.
Put together, “jaundiced eye” is a view of things that is prejudiced and often negative or cynical.
@Katlyn Flaherty; Thanks for your candor as well – but where did you get the idea that my comments on the Chief’s contract and salary are sexist – which is what you’re implying? I was comparing this contract, including salary, severance, and terms, to the last chief’s contract. It’s ironic that you accuse me of grasping at straws. Let the readers decide what they will. As far as i’m concerned, I will exercise my right to free speech and if people want to misinterpret that, try to silence or smear me, they can try.
I’ve learned about other seeming reckless spending blunders this commission and its supporters continue to make, from others who’ve done their fact-checking homework – such as, the cost of putting the same levy on the ballot, costs of printing and distributing all those flyers and all those signs peppering the island. The Chief’s contract is like nothing we have ever seen in OIFR for a man or a woman – and all of this spending, in a district crying broke and willing to sacrifice our last two local longtime EMTs needlessly. All points I and others have made refute that so-called ‘need,’ and call out the fearmongering and shaming and attempts at guilt-tripping us to vote for their levy or these continued slaps in the face and refusal to engage with legitimate questions and concerns about their tactics.
Sadie, have you reached out to the chief vanShaick? She is very approachable and willing to talk. I think you would like her and might better understand some of the information in the pamphlet by talking with her. Even those that seem “to have done their research” continue to get things mixed up and unfortunately, put out there for all to read. The pamphlet says to reach out to the Public Info Officer via pio@orcasfire.org
Thank you, Sadie, you have said what needs to be said much better than I could.
@ Blythe Simpson, thank you for your suggestion. No; I haven’t reached out to her yet. I have heard many things about her on both counts. Agree that it’s always a good idea to form one’s own personal opinion about someone based on actually sitting down and talking with them. This isn’t a case of my liking or disliking the Chief. For me, these issues don’t line up – the financials, the pushing of the exact same levy, and the reasons given for doing some things and not other – including laying off Seth and George.
I am concerned about the spending on all of this other stuff while letting go of our last two local career EMTs; that has been my stance and still is. The contracts and collective bargaining are also troubling – and the fact that I don’t see the union standing up for them to keep their jobs. Cost of living is so high. I get paying more but I don’t get what seems to me like throwing away two careers – for some money that we don’t have, but CAN raise by the time the levy runs out – and then make a new one addressing Capital spending and safety training and equipment for our responders.
As you do, Blythe, I remember when this was an all-volunteer fire department. Both of these men facing layoff gave years of volunteer service – unpaid, except for $20 a call if they even took it, and many did not. The volunteers back then did this – no benefits, as far as I know. I realize it’s a different world today, but can we keep the heart and spirit of what went before? I don’t think it’s right what is being done to them – and I can find no good or logical reason for it. We are a creative, caring, fluid, resourceful community. We can raise the money before the current levy expires.
I think we can have a win win win situation – even at this late date; and start to build some trust.. But people need to understand the issues about how people were treated by that commission – and still are be, even with new appointees and some, theoretically, ‘gone’ off the seats. I’m not dictating how people should understand the history or how we got to this point and why people are ready for a change. This is just my opinion from watching, reading, listening. I understand that we can’t just elect a new quorum of people who we feel are sincere and have integrity – which I do feel about all 3 challengers. I learned from the Port issues that citizens must stay involved and dialogue with the commissioners. Many tried with the Fire commissioners (I didn’t because I saw what had already happened.) Now we have a chance to change things. That’s what I am talking about here. We need to make some of these wrongs, right. Time will tell about our new Chief. I hope she lives up to it. Part of that living up to it – this is just for ME – is not throwing away EMTs and finding a way to raise those monies and still get the training and safety equipment needed. We need a responsive commission to do this. Thanks for reaching out