— from Suzanne Morrissey —
The Orcas Island Fire Department does a very good job of handling emergency services for this small community. According to SJC dispatch numbers for 2013, they respond to about 2 calls a day.
Voters are now asked to approve a new levy to replace the one that expires at the end of the year. Major capital expenses including three fire stations were paid off in 2012 with the current levy. The new levy amount should be significantly reduced, but unfortunately the size and cost of the non-volunteer staff has ballooned to over a million dollars a year. The Chief and Asst. Chief alone have combined wage and benefit packages of nearly a quarter of a million dollars. The proposed levy will ensure annual increases of these salaries for the next ten years.
A recent 8 month review of one of the department’s two credit cards paints a troubling picture of spending. For example, $570 spent on Chinese food flown to the island, $120 for chocolates, conference lodging booked at the luxury, waterfront Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham. In comparison, Shaw Island personnel attending the same conference stayed at the Econo-Lodge. A room booked at the Majestic Inn & Spa in Anacortes for simply ‘missing a ferry’. Numerous meals out for paid staff and visitors. The complete picture is unknown because some receipts for this public records request were not provided.
Public servants have no business spending taxpayer dollars like this. The lack of fiscal common sense, accountability and oversight at this agency is unacceptable. We have citizens on fixed and low incomes who will be forced to share the cost of this levy.
We all have a vested interest in emergency services but not at any price. Irresponsible spending and a bloated administration make it impossible to determine the genuine financial needs of the department. Clearly, the best course of action is to vote no on the levy, return the bookkeeping to the county for some much needed oversight, and insist the fire department get its house in order.
Editor’s note: to view the full, 44-page Orcas Fire and Rescue 2014 budget, go to https://orcasislandfirerescue.app.box.com/s/u2jplhkcrpq2lwx3gf5l
First I want to be clear that our volunteers and EMT’S are very capable and well trained. Unfortunately I do not have the same feelings about Current administration.Thank you for bringing this to light.These issues coupled with the poor decisions made after the accident following a party.
I do not believe or trust current decisions. I would like to see more transparency and responsibility and fat trimming.
I totally concur. To many of you who support the levy, as is, money is not much of a problem. Many of you are Republicans who strongly believe government should be lean and mean. This department is bloated and top heavy. Whether you can afford it or not we should push to reduce the size of management of this top heavy department.
Thank you for sharing your comments Suzanne. In my ignorance I had assumed that our fire department was already doing all it could to keep costs down and to use tax-payer money wisely. I’m disappointed to learn this has apparently not been the case. Just because they are in the business of saving lives does not give them license to spend extravagantly. In addition to the questionable judgments made after the accident last year, I must say that my trust in the management of the fire dept. has been greatly reduced. I will be voting no on the levy.