LAYOFF 11 FIREFIGHTERS

For the city's side of the issue, go to http://www.cityofmiddletown.org/docs/fire/fire_council_slideshow.pdf

Ash Kicker--

I'm a nurse at a clinic here in Middletown. ACLS certified, but our doc depends on heavily on squads if there is an emergency. I informed him of the recent layoffs and could result in slower response times.

Is there any way to let other offices know about the potential for delays and the importance have their staff trained?

This may be out of your scope, but I'm willing to brainstorm with you as this could lead to some bad outcomes...

dean wrote: I am not alone by stating the majority in Middletown are absolutely sick and tired of hearing about the fire fighters and their distorted viewpoints on their plight.

Many times, it takes several firefighters to fight even a small fire. High temps and humdity, a ton of gear on your back and fighting the hose itself, can cause fatigue in just a few minutes. Fatigue causes injuries to firefighters. Several fighters rotate in and out to lessen the chance of this happening.

Ok Dean,

Explain this, your mother had a "non life threatening case and short term illness" and you called 911. Sounds like overkill to me. You should have loaded your mother up in your car and drove her the 1.5 miles to the Atrium.

So are you a solution to the problem or did you add to the "problem"?

I'm sure if the fire department didn't respond accordingly to the hotel fire and people would have died, you probably would complained that fire fighters were to lazy to respond.

Middletown had one engine in service when that call came in. A second unit cleared while returning from a medic call and had to switch over from their medic unit to their engine. So you had 6, yes 6, Middletown fire fighters responding to a fire that could have put a lot of lives in danger. I spoke with the deputy chief in charge of that fire and his crystal ball was turned off. He didn't know it was a candle fire. (you know, candle fires are never large! Fifth third in Trenton burned to the ground from 1 cigarette butt). The first engine with 3 fire fighters was alone on that fire for about 10 minutes before they got any help. While you're busy complaining about the fire department, the hotel manager was pretty happy with the department's performance.

ashkicker

The record speaks volumes on the repeated financial waste and misguided priorities of The Dougmeister during his ignominious term with the Community Revitalization Department. Now that he's the City Manager, it's fine for him to nickel and dime Middletown's Fire Department. Go figure?

Article insinuates that Middletown FD had to be assisted by other FDs in the area due to layoffs. 

oth--reducing public safety expenditures from 72% of the budget to 60%

part of his manifesto laid out b4 getting the job, so we are getting what was advertised. I don't like what just happened, however the former status quo was un-sustainable.

Decisions have to be made, and often any more few of the options are popular or enjoyable. Even though no one is happy, it is what it is. I doubt that this will be the end of budget-cutting/re-prioritizing. Rather the beginning.

I have studied this very ambitious plan--read it twice(some sections more). I am with Mr.A on his package, though it will be a piece at a time. This place and admin/govt has to change--we all know that.

Stanky wrote: And the usual rantings of the "get off my lawn" guy continue. Vet, your frequent complaints about management tell me you're probably a low to mid-level employee who more often than not has stuck his own career in neutral due to arguing with management, constant complaining, or tripping over yourself because of an inability to be flexible or see a bigger picture. While I'm not defending city hall, your assumption that our paper-thin city budget somehow has room for layers of assistants and managers of nothing, going about their day brewing coffee, seems a bit of a stretch. Yes, bloated city government is a different thing than a company but you sound like someone who truly has never understood what leadership takes, what risk taking is involved at the top of a company, or how many of these "paper shuffling" jobs like accounting, audit, risk management, HR, etc. are essential. Sure, there are people who shouldn't be in their position (Landen? Kohler?). Sure there is waste here and there in companies. But you sound like the classic populist clock-puncher rather than someone who knows the perils of running a business.

HIT A NERVE, DID I STANKY?

FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE NEVER HAD A "CAREER". ALWAYS THOUGHT OF IT AS A JOB THAT PROVIDES AN INCOME, NOTHING MORE. WITH 5 MORE YEARS TO WORK I WILL HAVE 51 YEARS IN. A LITTLE TOO LATE TO THINK ABOUT A CAREER. THE OLD "CAREER" CRAP HEARD OVER THE YEARS IS OVER RATED. HAVE SEEN ALOT OF PEOPLE COME INTO THE WORK PLACE WHO STARTED OUT WITH EMPLOYER SUNSHINE PUMPED UP THEIR KEESTER AND A PROMISE OF A "CAREER" WITH A "I'M REALLY GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE HERE" ATTITUDE ONLY TO BE USED AND ABUSED AND CAST ASIDE BY UPPER MANAGEMENT WHEN THEY "FELL OUT OF FAVOR" OR MADE A BAD DECISION. WHEN THEY REALIZE THEIR TIME IS OVER, THEY MOVE ON. I AM A MIDDLE LEVEL EMPLOYEE WITH ONLY ONE STINT IN THE SUPERVISORY RANKS FOR FOUR YEARS. CAN'T SAY AS I LIKED IT DURING THAT TIME. MY "FREQUENT COMPLAINTS" ARE A RESULT OF SEEING 46 YEARS OF UPPER MANAGEMENT USING FEAR, DISCRIMINATORY AND RETALIATORY TACTICS (TYPICAL MANAGEMENT GAMES PLAYED) ON THE BULK OF THE EMPLOYEE POPULATION AT EIGHT DIFFERENT COMPANIES. THE STORY IS ALWAYS THE SAME NO MATTER WHERE YOU WORK. "MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY" TACTICS.....AND, TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, WHILE WE'RE TREATING YOU LIKE CRAP, WE ARE DEMANDING YOUR LOYALTY....OR ELSE. BEEN DOWNSIZED THREE TIMES SINCE 1994. THAT WORKS ON YOUR ATTITUDE CONCERNING MANAGEMENT TOO STANKY. HAVE YOU BEEN DOWNSIZED IN YOUR WORKING LIFE? IF SO, HOW DID YOUR ATTITUDE FAIR AT THE TIME? NO ONE TAKES DOWNSIZING WELL, ESPECIALLY IF ONES OPINION IS THAT THEY DIDN'T DESERVE IT AND IT WAS JUST A NUMBER'S GAME BY UPPER MANAGEMENT WITH THE WORKER TAKING THE HIT AND MIDDLE AND UPPER MANAGEMENT USUALLY HOLDING ON TO THEIR HIGH PAYING, REPETITIVE FUNCTIONING, PAPER-SHUFFLING JOBS.

YOU SOUND LIKE ONE WHO IS INCLINED TO SANCTION MOST OF THE CRAP THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS CITY TO DATE. YOUR COMMENT "OUR PAPER-THIN CITY BUDGET"... COULD BE CONSTRUED AS A DEFENSE MECHANISM AND THAT YOU WORK IN THE CITY BUILDING OF HAVE SOME CONNECTION WITH THE CITY OPERATION. IF SO, KEEP BELIEVING THE PROPAGANDA FROM YOUR EMPLOYER. FOR ME, I CAN'T SUPPORT LEADERSHIP THAT I CAN'T RESPECT. THAT GOES FOR THE CITY BUILDING TOPIC AS WELL AS ANY WORK ARENA.

RISK TAKING AT THE TOP? HARDLY. EVEN IF THE CEO LOSES THEIR JOB FOR ANY REASON, THERE IS A CONTRACT THAT PAYS OUT A GOLDEN PARACHUTE IN THE MILLIONS WHILE THE LITTLE GUY GETS A FEW WEEKS VACATION PAY AND A LITTLE "SEPARATION PACKAGE" THAT LASTS A MONTH OR TWO WHILE BEING OFFERED A COBRA HEALTH CARE PACKAGE FOR THE FAMILY AT $800 BUCKS A MONTH WHILE UNEMPLOYED. HOW DOES ONE AFFORD THAT PREMIUM IF ONE IS UNEMPLOYED? YOU TELL ME. I DON'T BELIEVE ANY CEO IS WORRIED ABOUT LOSING THEIR JOBS AS MUCH AS THE WORKER BEE WORRIES. BEING ASKED TO LEAVE A COMPANY IS FAR MORE CATASTROPHIC TO THE WORKER THAN THE CEO, MONEY-WISE. THE CEO GOES TO THE NEXT COMPANY TO SCREW IT UP IN A MATTER OF WEEKS WITH THEIR CONNECTIONS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD. THE WORKER HAS TO HUNT AND PECK FOR THAT NEW JOB OPENING FOR MONTHS....OR YEARS. THE JOB SEARCH IS NOT ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.

AND JUST HOW DID THE CITY BUDGET GET "PAPER THIN" STANKY? NO DOUBT, A RESULT OF POOR PLANNING, INCOMPETENCE IN RUNNING THE CITY, A LACK OF A REVENUE GENERATING PLAN IN BRINGING IN NEW BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES. TOO HIGH OF LEGACY COSTS WHILE TRYING TO SUPPORT OUTLANDISH WORKER/MANAGEMENT SALARIES. NO LOGICAL CITY DIRECTION AND REASONABLE GOALS THAT WERE ATTAINABLE. PLACING TOO MUCH RELIANCE IN THE FEDS AND THEIR SECTION 8/GOVERNMENT HANDOUT PROGRAMS FOR REVENUE IN LIEU OF JOB CREATION TAXES. A LACK OF PUTTING MONEY AWAY FOR BASE NECESSITIES, PILFERING EXISTING FUNDS LIKE THE STREET REPAIR FUND AND THEN SPENDING IT ON UNNEEDED AND MONEY-WASTING ISSUES IN THE CITY. TAKING CITY MONEY AND SPENDING IT ON REAL ESTATE WHILE CLAIMING THE CITY IS NOT IN THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS, THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR CITY FRIENDS, WHILE CLAIMING TO BE ON A TIGHT BUDGET. LOANS TO THE MMF AND CITY FRIENDS. GIVING BUILDINGS AWAY TO SUE WITTMAN THE ARTS PEOPLE. TAKING LESS THAN OTHER PROPOSALS FROM WALDEN AND COMPANY....FRIENDS OF THE CITY. SPENDING $300,000 FOR A BUILDING AND THEN SELLING IT FOR A DOLLAR. WHAT FOOL WOULD DO THAT IN THEIR HOME BUDGET? HOW ABOUT WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE CITY POSITION HIERARCHY? I WILL BET, WITHOUT SEEING IT AS YET, THAT BOTH OF US CAN FIND POSITIONS OF WASTE WITH ASSISTANTS TO THE ASSISTANTS WHO DO NO MORE THAN SHUFFLE PAPERS AND SUCK THE COFFEE CUP. THERE ARE THOSE KINDS OF POSITIONS IN EVERY ORGANIZATION AND YOU KNOW IT. I CAN TELL YOU FOR A FACT THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAD THREE MANAGERS FOR 4 WORKERS INCLUDING THE ADMIN. POSITION AT ONE TIME. AND NOW, THERE ARE LOWER ECHELON PEOPLE TAKING THE HIT FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED FAILURES OF THE UPPER MANAGEMENT OF THIS CITY. KEEP ON DEFENDING MANAGEMENT STANKY, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, YOU'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF REASON.

NO, I'VE NEVER RUN A BUSINESS, BUT I WILL BET, USING CONSERVATIVE SPENDING BASED ON CORRECT PRIORITIES, LOGIC AND COMMON SENSE, THAT I CAN DO A BETTER JOB AT SPENDING THE TAXPAYER MONEY THAN THE CLOWNS DO IN THE CITY BUILDING. IT IS A SIMPLE CONCEPT. YOU NEVER SPEND MORE THAN YOU BRING IN AND YOU ALWAYS PAY THE BILLS FIRST AND BUDGET YOUR REMAINING MONEY TO LAST UNTIL THE NEXT COLLECTION PERIOD. IF MONEY IS LEFT OVER, IT IS PLACED IN A FUND FOR EMERGENCY USAGE AND EMERGENCY USAGE ONLY, NOT TO BE PILFERED FOR OTHER USAGE. YOU GET IN TROUBLE WHEN YOU OVER-COMMIT, MIS-APPROPRIATE AND HAVE TOO MANY FINANCIAL FRONTS TO BATTLE. THIS IS ALSO CALLED "LIVING WITHIN YOUR MEANS" CITY BUILDING PEOPLE.

AND JUST WHAT IS A "CLASSIC POPULIST CLOCK-PUNCHER"? I'M A PERSON WHO HANDLES MONEY WELL, WHO PAYS THEIR BILLS ON TIME AND WHO PLANS FOR EMERGENCIES WHILE LIVING ON A TIGHT BUDGET THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR WASTEFUL SPENDING OR CREDIT CARDS, ESPECIALLY AT THE INTEREST RATES THEY CHARGE NOWADAYS. I ALSO TRY TO PAY OFF ANY BALANCE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I WOULD IMAGINE ALL CONSERVATIVE FOLKS OPERATE THAT WAY. IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO HANDLE A LIMITED INCOME, STILL GET THE BILLS PAID AND STAY OUT OF FINANCIAL TROUBLE.

NOPE, NEVER OWNED OR RUN A BUSINESS.......BUT IF I DID, I WOULD HAVE NEVER TREATED MY EMPLOYEES THE WAY I HAVE SEEN THEM TREATED BY MIDDLE AND UPPER MANAGEMENT OVER THE YEARS. I HAVE HAD MY FAIR SHARE THROWN AT ME OVER THE YEARS TOO. UNFORTUNATELY,FOR ME, BECAUSE OF PAST EXPERIENCES, THEY ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED AND, BECAUSE THEY OPERATE THE WAY THAT THEY DO (MANAGERIAL TACTICS), ARE CONSIDERED THE ENEMY. I HAVE HAD PERHAPS 30 MANAGERS OVER THE YEARS. OUT OF 30, THERE HAVE BEEN 2 GOOD MANAGERS THAT I TRUSTED AND KNEW WOULDN'T STAB ME IN THE BACK, AND THAT I WOULD SUPPORT 100%. THE REST, WORTHLESS GAME PLAYERS AND COMPANY YES MEN WHO HAVE NO CONSCIENCE NOR MORALS AS IT APPLIES TO THEIR SUBORDINATES. HARDLY HONORABLE.

ENOUGH "RANTING, TRIPPING OVER MYSELF AND COMPLAINING" AS YOU PUT IT. I ENJOY THIS LITTLE DISCUSSION ABOUT MY FAVORITE SUBJECT..... INEPT, NON-TRUSTWORTHY MANAGEMENT AND THEIR TACTICS.    

NOW, GET OFF MY LAWN.

Stanky: I think you may be missing thr reason for our complaining. Primarily, it's because the reast of the citizens have a right to know the truth about what's really going on in that city building. Thank goodness Judy is now gone. ( but make no mistake, she will raise her ugly head again) Landen, Kohler? That's all you got. How about Mulligan? Adkins? That was another back room deal to have Dougie move into his current position. If you don't believe me just wait and watch. It will all become clear. I don't know why they wasted nice peoples time on the farce of looking for a city manger when it was all ready decided how that was going to turn out. As I have said many times, they should have all have been replaced long ago for their failure to display a "fiduciary responsibility". They have a legal responsibility to protect and spend wisely the monies of the citizens of our city. Hasn't happened. IMO

Now, we find out the union rejected the city's proposals and 11 are gone on Saturday. Just hope I don't have a serious 911 medical emergency for my wife. Again, if the response time is too long, just after they downsized the service by eliminating the 11 positions, and she dies, the city will have a lawsuit to deal with. Should be relatively easy to prove just after the reduction in manpower I would think.

The city leaders have to do what they have to do and I will do what I have to do in this situation. Their choice to roll the dice.

I just don't understand why they would rather eliminate 11 jobs that put out fires and provide medical services and retain 11 paper-shufflers in the city building, supporting assistants to the assistants who suck the coffee cup all day and go to endless meetings that usually accomplish nothing pertinent. I'm not a big fan of greedy unions but I'm even less of a fan of incompetent leadership.

The working world has become a giant cluster with incompetence in charge.

What was that statement that Mayor Mulligan said in today's paper: "All members of the council "value" public safety, but at the same time, THEY HAVE TO BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE." I HOPE that statement WILL come back to bite him in the butt. That's ALL we've been saying on this forum and it hasn't happened yet. They have spent money on downtown like drunken sailors and never once thought about being "financially responsible". His cronies and Judy have put this town in financial hardship.Does anyone know, did he say that with a straight face? IMO