— from Pierrette Guimond —
When you vote no against the levy you are not voting against the Fire Department or the Volunteers.
The people of Orcas rejected two bond proposals for the School District because the majority felt that it was too much money but finally approved the third request.
What we have now before the voters is pretty much the same amount of money that was requested 15 yrs ago and that levy was to build two new fire stations, purchase the West Sound station and update our vehicle fleet.
So now we have a payroll and benefits of one million dollars for 11 full time employees, Lopez Island which has half the population operates with a part time Chief, part time Administrative Assistant, and three full-time Firefighters/Paramedics; their Department is staffed with 39 volunteers.
I have been attending the Fire department meetings for 10 yrs now and I am very familiar with their budget and I feel that the Department spending is too much. A few years ago we all objected to the position of Assistant Chief at the cost of $90,000 but that was forgotten last year and that position was filled at a cost of $114,000. (including benefits).
We spent $27,000 for 6 months for an off island CPA, without even trying for a better solution. The bookkeeping should go back to the County for a lot less money just the way we used to do it.
One position received a $9,200 raise this year? Money for food, cards, chocolates, pencils, etc and the list goes on. When you have a lot of money available, it is often too easy to spend at will.
Recently the policy on meals and travel expenses was updated but only after the Department was questioned about their spending habits.
The cost for our volunteers is approximately $250,000 and we are all grateful for their dedication. The Commissioners should hold the taxpayers interest in high regard and show prudent and effective use of resources entrusted to them. There is enough money in the budget and reserve to continue to operate until they come to us with a better proposal.
Let’s have clear goals, realistic expectations and accountability.
I do not support the current levy proposal.
Food? Chocolates? Cards?
Are you kidding me? These are your gripes?
We staff our life saving organization with 65 volunteers out of a 77 head count, who put their daily family lives and life on the line day in and day out, and you don’t want to buy them pencils. Seriously?
There are serious entitlement issues on this island.
Thank you, Pierrette,
I am glad we are getting several points of view in this discussion and I appreciate your concern and bravery in taking a public stand on this clearly controversial issue. I have been largely ignorant of the facts and would like to base my decision on how to vote on honest figures of need and hard thinking rather than emotional tirades, diatribe or vested interest. I look forward to the brown bag lunches for further clarity.
$600.00 for pencils is not the big issue here, but this is all part of spending that
adds up and maybe is not necessary for a
Tax District.
Well said Pierrette! Many people think they need to vote yes on this issue because they don’t understand that this in NOT funding for running the fire department and EMTs. It was voted in years ago in order to provide additional funding for capital improvements. As you said, those have been implemented and paid for. As we all know, temporary taxes never go away. This is a perfect example of that. We do NOT need this tax in order to continue to operate our fire and rescue. Perhaps we need more fiscally responsible people on the commission and in decision making positions. A NO vote would be a wake up call that it is time to get the department to operate more economically.
God Bless the 65 volunteers. We do not need some of the paid staff. Maybe the chief could do the assistant chiefs job with time he takes to write published report as to how great they are doing. We know you are doing great. After all YOU ARE DOING YOUR JOBS. Many of us believe the department is top heavy. The department will still provide us with excellent care without so many paid management. Vote no and see them streamline their request. There is something wrong when the bulk of the staff are volunteers but the chief needs an assistant. Work longer for your pay. That is a form of your volunteering a little. If this was a private business it would be “Leaner and Meaner”.
I wish this letter from Pierrett had some new news. Her original letter stated the same things as if the wish to go back to the “80s would happen. It can’t. The responsibility of this OIFD has grown with the huge increase in value of the district and the increase in population. Those of us who have lived here forever didn’t necessarily cause the rise in value even though we have benefited in the rise in value of our property as well as the rise in contributions to our non-profits and to OICF. We get it both ways. Just think how many more people are contributing to the levy than 10 years ago.
Linda