— from Bob Phalan —
As most people do, I too appreciate Orcas Fire and admire the volunteers. I dedicated 17 years of my life to it and them. I do not believe this entitles the administration to a blank check.
It is with amazement that I have read the District’s proposal to renew the levy at the same level (over 2 million dollars/year for 10 years) that it took to build two new fire stations, buy a third, replace 7 engines, a rescue truck, a brush truck, two tenders and two ambulances with money provided by the “temporary” lid lift in 1999. The district has no such huge capital expenditures on the horizon.
A healthy dose of skepticism is in order. It has been very disheartening to witness the culture of entitlement that has become the order of the day by this administration. Orcas Fire has clearly forgotten exactly whose money they are spending.
When you vote “NO” you are not voting against the fire department or the volunteers. You are voting FOR fiscal responsibility. A “NO” vote will not compromise emergency responses for you or your family. The threat that the district will have to cut services if this initial levy request fails is simply untrue. The present levy fully funds the district through the end of 2014.
The most disturbing detail is the ivory tower that has been built in just the past few years. Wages and benefits for the paid staff have increased by over $400K to nearly one million dollars! The top two positions alone are costing tax payers a quarter of a million dollars per year.
As president of the Firefighters Association I lobbied in favor of the “temporary” lid lift to be approved by voters in 1999. The money was well spent until the bond was paid off in 2012. Today, the district is in need of some serious belt tightening, seeking alternative funding methods and reducing the administrative positions. The Fire Commissioners have refused to reign in spending so it is clearly time for the voters to do so. You are the last line of defense.
Most importantly, it is critical for us all to remember that Orcas has many families who are struggling financially. There are long lines at the food bank every week. Please consider the fact that this levy forces our neighbors to pay for bloated salaries at the top that they simply cannot afford. Please talk to some of these people. You will find they will welcome the much needed reduction in their taxes.
Insist the district do some serious soul searching, slash administration costs and resubmit this levy in the Fall.
I am asking that you join me in voting no on Proposition One.
Bob Phalan
Volunteer EMT 1997-2013
President of the Volunteer Firefighter Association 1999-2001
Fire Commissioner 2002-2006
CPR/First Aid Coordinator & instructor 2006-2013
Medical Program Director EMS Lifesaving Award 2009
EMT of the year 2008, 2011 & 2012
Thank you Bob. You have voiced my reservations regarding the fire levy in a most diplomatic way! I have been hesitant to say how I felt about the levy because of the vitriol being hurled at anyone who voices any concern. The usual Orcas neighborly dialogue seems to have degenerated into a “you are either with us or against us” kinda thing. It makes me sad to see this behavior here on Orcas. I, for one, will be voting NO on the fire levy.
Bob, I wish I could have expressed my reservations as forthright and clearly as you have. It would be refreshing to see you back on the Fire Commission at the earliest possibility!
Thank you Bob for being so eloquent in your explanation of why this levy should be voted down. I tend to communicate in a very direct manner and I know it puts some people off. In all of the rhetoric surrounding this issue the pro forces never lay out what this paid staff is doing and why we absolutely need them. The payroll for the medical staff is understandable but it seems that if the assistant chief was gone and his work was spread around among the rest of the paid staff it would save a lot of money. On an island where many people work three jobs to earn a fraction of what is being paid to the fire staff it doesn’t seem right.
Why doesn’t the chief explain why all this paid staff is needed at the cost involved. It is a privilege to live on Orcas that should be factored into the equation. The chief is terrific. I am sure he can figure out how to do this for less money.
There was a Town Meeting on Tuesday night at the Eastsound fire station. The chief’s presentation was thorough, detailed, and transparent. And very helpful in understanding the issues. If you are wanting to hear the chief explain the request for funds I would urge you to attend one of these meetings. There is ample time for questions, should you still have any following the presentation.
For the last 15 years the Fire Department received over 20 million dollars in revenues and with that money we built two new Fire Stations bought the
Westsound station and updated our vehicles fleet.
For the next ten years the revenues will be approximately 21 million dollars and that does not include any new buildings but there will be more increases
for staff and maintenance.
How much staff is necessary to supervise a Volunteer Fire Department ?