Blog Wars! Tit for Tat, Now Let's See Who Gets Muddiest!

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AN EXTRA LONG POST IN ORDER TO GIVE ALL MY ANONYMOUS FANS THEIR DUE.  READ ON TO UNDERSTAND AND READ MY ANSWERS TO THEIR QUERIES. IT'S VERY ENLIGHTENING AND HERE YOU WILL GET BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY BECAUSE BOTH SIDES DO HAVE THE TRUTH. IT'S ALL A MATTER OF HOW MUCH WHO WANTED TO DISCLOSE AND HOW THE OTHER SIDE WANTED TO SPIN IT. WELL, I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, SO HERE WE ARE, WE'RE GOING TRANSPARENT... HOPE Y'ALL LIKE WHAT YOU SEE.

Obviously I've hit a lot of nerves but the ones with those nerves don't have the nerve to speak up with the courage to post their names.  I am amazed that I seem to be such a threat to them all too. Here the election is over with and they've WON! You would think my blog would be meaningless now, wouldn't it? What's the big deal? Me thinks they doth protest too much and where there's smoke, there's usually always fire. 

So with that, I am going to address every ANONYMOUS post in the blog. Some of the posts are not very respectful of me or the former commissoners, but I'm considering the source, after all, it is anonymous. How do I even know it's a firefighter? Those comments that have valid requests and questions, I am more than happy to debate and comment on. I've never shied from a good debate and those firefighters who do know me, know I am not one to back down nor am I one to hide behind anything or anyone. However, I do my research to be sure I don't need to come out with an apology (which I will be more than happy to issue). I have already stated that I have nothing against any union member -that is not hostile or is in this thinking they're securing their future. I've stated all along I understand why the firefighters backed all this. Personally, I beleive they've been deluded by the union, as we're all going to get hurt in the long run when all the dust settles- because they're also taxpayers in this district and ultimately they'll be paying their raises into their property taxes too. ONLY the union benefits from this kind of turmoil and power. 

I also understand the anonymity as I'm sure Chief Johnson will be wondering how these statements are getting out in public. But still if you have something to say, why not own it. Is it anything less than you've already said to Chief Johnson? Or are you breaking the requested "gag order" by making these statements in public? If so then why couldn't you be patient and wait for the dust to settle and let me and the commissioners sufffer the fate some of you seem hell-bent on seeing? Yes, I've read the inane posting at your site. How incredibly ungrateful of folks who've benefitted so much from the previous commissioner's proper management. As in most management vs. labor, though, labor never understands the big picture and always wants more regardless of the costs.

 My personal opinion of the union firefighters who are acting like this hasn't changed. I think they have behaved very badly and I find it interesting now, that they are threatened by my opinion. If I know so little, what do I matter?  The ones who have organized and rallied everyone to this "show of power" have made a mockery of their "brotherhood". They had brotherhood and power before, they didn't need union to prove it.  Donchenko, Berry and Bennett aren't union so I'm not including their behavior in my opinion of the union. But Merv Kennell made it clear he was very supportive of them and he fueled their accusations AND fed private information to the media, breaking a "story" that wasn't a story for the public! They're simply issues for the fire department to deal with at this point and an embarassment to the department for ALL who are involved! 

My personal opinion of the union firefighters like Leigh Hollins, who had the courage to SIGN HIS NAME to his post, EXPLAIN properly, showing he ACCEPTED the situation at hand AND showed loyalty where due as is the way I always thought the brotherhood of the fire department ran, hasn't changed one iota. I still admire them. But then Leigh is probably an old-school firefighter with guts and courage that I as a citizen who is dependent upon him, can count on. IF that's how a union works, then I'd support it 100%,  but I haven't seen that yet in this case. As Leigh noted, this union is making everyone look pretty bad and started out on the wrong foot.

And think about this: Do you really, really want to get down to brass tacks on these issues? Because the public doesn't really know how good firefighters have it. It's not that firefighters don't deserve it. I've always supported that. But the general public will not completely understand. But as Leigh Hollins pointed out, Donchenko opened up one can of worms, you can count on the fact that you're all opening up another now! So here it goes.

Anonymous post #1) After waking up this morning I could hear the birds singing and the winds of beautiful change blowing through our wonderful fire district. I could hear God say to me "It is finished!" The selfserving corruption has been eradicated overwhelmingly by Manatee county voters. You've done a great job educating the voters with this website. I had the pleasure of meeting all 3 people who had visited the site and after speaking with them for 5 minutes, I had them voting in our favor. By Anonymous on An Obituary of a Fire District , a Sad Day for SMF...  on 11/3/10
Auditory imaginations  are one way to relax after any stressful event and if that works for you then good for you! As for me, I prefer reality and my site has a counter and last I looked, it's well over 1100. If in fact you actually did get to the one poster who went out of her way to post her name honestly, then you are actually admitting to literally harassing a voter. She did find it intimidating and emailed me so about it, as here's her response to that: Tue 11/2/2010 11:43 AM [Email omitted to protect her] OMG!! THERE'S 10 OF THE AT THE POLL!!!! They're handing out cards, this is union money at work.  They've got t-shirts, cards, signs, it's disgusting! I called them liars, and got a few people to vote against them, but I'm sure this is occuring all over the county!!!! Is there ANYTHING WE CAN DO??????  
Hmm, this doesn't sound like a very convinced voter to me.


Anonymous post #2) You are the most biased, uninformed, no-it-all, blowhard I have seen in quite awhile. If you would stop listening to your neighbor Brad Ranney and get the full story, you'd be ashamed of yourself. If, that is, you have any shame or dignity. You know nothing and all you spout is trash. The majority of the Department banded to gether to finally bring a halt to the corruption, abuse and complancency that has robbed Southern Manatee of it's joy. I am thrilled to see the Ranney and Anderson go as they were part of the problem and corrupt in their incompotence! You, Mrs Willis should just plain, SHUT UP as you know nothing about our Department. Ranney new NOTHING about our Department. He wasn't smart enough or care enough to see what was happening. So, he's gone because God was watching. BYE BYE Ranney and BYE BYE Mrs Willis! Our future is looking bright!! By Anonymous on An Obituary of a Fire District , a Sad Day for SMF... on 11/3/10


This was a post I was going to omit but was sure if I did this poster would just feel so left out I'd get alot more of this incensed abuse. This is the kind of nonsense that serves no purpose and contains no intelligent content to debate. So I'll let it continue to speak for it's author and shame him for knowing God's watching and still behaving that badly.  It's surely not like the godly men I know.


Anonymous post #3 First of all Debbi, your facts are way off. You make the union out to be a four letter word but lets look at the real truth. The 3% raise you are chastising was given to everyone from the rank of LT up in April (we normally give raises in oct) Yes this raise was a bribe to the Officers to say that they don't need a union and it worked. A bribe is corruption. Just so your facts are correct the "previous board" approved the raise not the recently elected. And back to the "union" being an evil organization, well no they are actually the good guys who overthrew a corrupt government. Lets look at the facts; the union didn't scam a laptop, the union didnt steal a generator (I do belive former commish Ranney uses this generator too), the union didnt steal a shelter for a personal RV. The union didnt send pornograpic e-mails. The union didnt sexually harrass its employees, the union didnt even use intimidation to win these elections. We just spoke the truth and gave a friendly smile (all 2/ 3rds of the smfr firefighters. There was no one from anywhere else). The union didnt even bring these allegations out to the public. A respected officer of the executive staff did. You say Pete is out for a promotion? How do you know this? What I know is, your neighbor was informed about these misdeeds going on under his nose and was asked to help clean it up. And did he? No he just sat back knowing he couldnt clean it up because of the lavish contract he signed off on for Chief Gover. If you'd like I can provide a copy of the contract. I can also provide pictures of the overhang and the generator at Ranney/Hennessey's campsite. Also if you'd like I can provide copies of the pornograpic material your beloved former chief and current chief sent. Let me know if you'd like any of the evidence. To quote a famous television show "the evidence doesn't lie"! Thank you, 2546 proud member P.S. check out our truthful blog http://smfdfirefightertruth.blogspot.com By Anonymous on What Voters Can Expect Now? the ugliest picture ..... on 11/4/10


Pete! You really should have signed your name, you do express yourself so well! Thank you! But, for the facts, let's talk. First off, about the union, IF it ran like it's supposed to, I wouldn't feel like I do but this one doesn't right now. If you fully read my last post, I pretty much beseeched it to straighten out the mess it's made. So the balls in their court to clean up this mess. Secondly, let's talk about that raise, a MID-TERM raise that HAS happened in the past. A raise that wasn't a bribe at all but one that would have been extended to the firefighters too, except they were in contract negotiations with the union which apparently were taking forever and as they always do, tied things up. The board would have been foolish to give a raise arbitrarily across the board only to have another one contracted in right behind it by the union contract (such as is coming right now). So therefore, the firefighters got put on hold because the union, not because of the board! It's not a bribe, it's legal, just delayed by the rest of the contract stuff- demands, you know?  Supervision could not be part of your union AND supervise you and they didn't see any need to unionize if the board's going to take care of them like the union is going to take care of the firefighters, so in the best interests of the taxpayer which is the boards primary job here, they took care of supervision so they would not be interested in the strong arm of the union. Had the firefighters not believed they needed the union's strongarm so badly (the union's emperor's clothes facade) they'd still be enjoying that same raise.  


Thirdly, let's move on to the next clump of accusations... the laptop. Give it a break. No matter how much the department spent on it, when they bought it, anybody who understands technology knows it was obsolete six months later and it's value depleted. Even "less than 2 years later," a laptop isn't worth the time or risk to list it on Ebay. It was a genuine kindness of service to a man who'd served the department well for 29 years. 


The next accusation is a doozy. You "do believe" about this generator, eh? Hmm, now if this isn't a presumption then I'll never know one because I personally know you are lying through your teeth on this one hoping it'll pan out. Quit seeking information you don't really have. This is blatantly foolish, but hey, you say you have proof, so I'd love to see it!  And again,  you're accusing the board of theft of a rotting away shelter awning that was donated to an electrical contractor who had donated mega-hours of work to the district's multiple stations while being built. Out here in the regular world, we would call that bartering, but I suppose someone might get upset at that in your world. Why? Did you have designs on it and you didn't get it? Seems to me, we taxpayers got the better deal. I'd barter an awning that's being torn down on a construction site in return for electrical work being done on my buildings with no outlay of cash any day! Thank you,  Commissioners for saavy thinking and good stewardship!


As for the emails, is there an actual written department policy about these?  As far as I know, men often do this. My husband and my son are always telling me they get all kinds of stuff from their friends, they just don't forward it anywhere and dispose of it, but that's them.  Sounds to me like there's a huge interdepartment problem here on a system. But I needn't say anymore here, as it is, it WAS the union who blew this out of proportion, exposed it to the public in the media with their "breaking news" report to Channel 7 ABC-TV. Now, that was very un-classy and equally ungodly behavior. 


Next on your littany of complaints is the sexual harrassment issue about a female employee against the former chief. And honestly, do you really think asking a female employee to be ready for work when she arrives at her desk is that?  But what do I know? Just because she's related to someone in the department and got her feelings hurt doesn't give her license to falsely accuse someone of sexual harrassment. Those are serious charges in the workplace. I've only worked in male fields of employment most of my life and I wouldn't have been caught dead doing anything "womanly" or looking unprepared at my desk or my job amongst a bunch of men, much less men who can be a bit crude at times - like I often worked with. I'd say get a thick skin and quit jumping at the first opportunity to smear a good man. If you're punctual, there's no question. Do the job and there's no complaint. If you're assaulted or battered, call the police. End of discussions in my book, not something to trump up two years later after a man retires.  Women like this are why women like me have fought our whole lives trying to get somewhere respectfully and men continue to not take women seriously or trust us in the workplace.


The intimidation factor was addressed in the last post by the email I recieved.  Enough said.  And now, I would love the evidence Pete, please feel free to send it to me directly at: stonecreek3408@gmail.com. Because you're such a godly man of honor, I trust you'll be straight up with me and provide this evidence for my own proof- that would be your pictures of the overhang/generator and the contract copy, I certainly don't need any of the emails though I've no doubt that will happen now. And if it does, I'll shut the email down and count you and your followers as one sorry lot. Remember, our Lord is watching.


Anonymous post #4 Obviously Ms. Willis, you are misguided. Please don't let your opinion be misconstrued as fact. Ask who has already gotten that 3% raise, and who is still waiting to get it? Or which department hasn't had a raise in almost 4 years while every department around had. You are a monday morning quarter back, who is wining and sulking because YOU didn't get your way, instead the firefighters banded together and did what was right for them and the district. Obviously the great citizens of this community chose who they wanted to back when it comes to the protection of themselves...US, not YOU. I know I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for you to respond to a vehicle accident at 3 a.m., to pull me out and save my life; or a fully envolved fire in a chemical warehouse, with potential workers trapped inside, and neither would the rest of the citizens. Stick to what your good at, blogging about Alaska and listening to Toby Keith while you watch Nascar. Hope you have a wonderful day!

By Anonymous on What Voters Can Expect Now? the ugliest picture ..... on 11/4/10

I did ask. I thought it was really unfair when I got your posts and I made quite a few calls wondering why I was being misled and then I learned lot more. Geez you all have such short memories!  Let's back up a little. You are absolutely correct about not having a raise last year (2009) or this year so far (2010) but it's due to the union contract, so who's to blame? The UNION and yourselves.  As of next week, you will most likely have a ratified contract and your raise will take effect and essentially that will qualify as 2010.  In 2008, due to the turn of the economy you recieved a BONUS equivalent to your raise in one lump sum instead of distributing it out over the paychecks. This helped to not affect your Christmas bonuses OR your pension and longevity.  Therefore the board was looking out for you in the long run and you got a large sum all at once. In 2007, you got a raise, so it's really only been 3 years since your last raise. There are a lot of folks who've been JOBLESS for that long and you're complaining about your raises!

Jerry, obviously the great citizens of this district trusted their firefighters to steer them correctly just as they did eight years ago when all you banded together to get the Palm Aire Four off the board and get the board back to normal. I met with many of you then and heard your support for the commissioners and many of you helped us out at the polls.  We didn't cover them nearly as heavy as the union did this election and still won. What the union did this time was show their power. And I'm very glad you wouldn't wait for me to rescue you either at 3am from an accident or a burning building because I'm certainly not trained to do that. But I will tell you I was very grateful to the men of Station 2 who arrived on my doorstep long before the EMT's on a very, very early morning in March 2009 when my MS plummetted my blood pressure (corrected 1/9/11) to 70/38. I am very grateful that they were there first to confirm what I had already figured out and the reason I called for help, and then they were able to intelligently inform the EMT's that they needed a stretcher and assistance asap. Within moments, I was in the ambulance getting epinephrine or so I was told, for improvement and on my way to the hospital where doctors could do no better. So, you are absolutely right, that I wouldn't count on me either, but I'm surely glad I can count on the fully trained firefighters of Southern Manatee that I WAS (correction made 1/9/11) proud of. These WERE (correction made 1/9/11) the standards I've watched the FORMER board and chief build over the past 16 years in this district!

So, don't rant at me about stupid comparison's like that. Mothers get up every morning every day of a baby's life to feed and nourish it and they aren't paid one red cent but you're alive and well today because one did! It's your job. Love it and do it with pride.  Think about those you serve instead of being so self-serving! You don't work in a major metropolis where you're constantly on call. You work one day and you're off two. You work an average 10 days a month (correction made 1/9/11) for your "meager $48K".

The rest of the anonymous posts went like this: 

#5 Why don't you post anyones comment that opposes your views? for the truth please see www.smfdfirefightertruth.blogspot.com  

By Anonymous on What Voters Can Expect Now? the ugliest picture ..... on 11/4/10

#6 Just so you know 95% of the people at the polls were SMFR personnel. How would Bob Sweat know, its not like we had to register!!

By Anonymous on What Voters Can Expect Now? the ugliest picture ..... on 11/4/10

And I'll answer this one, as I would figure that most likely Bob knew because he had to call his deputies at every precinct he kept fielding complaints from and tell them to get the firefighters back to the 100ft line. Then he most likely learned when there was someone from another fire department there. Considering the union was pushing people through all phases of politics, it doesn't surprise me that manpower came from everywhere. Besides, that if you admit to 5%, then I know I can figure it was at least 10% or more. No one, when caught, ever admits it all.

#7 We'll apologize as soon as you print the truth on your web-site!!!! By Anonymous on What Voters Can Expect Now? the ugliest picture ..... on 11/4/10

#8 Its great how you hide behind your computer and not post anyone else's comments. Miscontruing your opinions as facts. You are indeed a classy woman. Why not listen to what anyone else has to say, not just your neighbor? Why not go to the stations and meet the firefighters you are so negitively portraying? You hear one side of the story and immediately are influenced, so what does that say about you?

By Anonymous on What Voters Can Expect Now? the ugliest picture ..... at 8:27 AM

#8, It is equally great that you have all hidden behind ANONYMOUS! How do I even know it's firefighters posting this? For sure I've guessed two identities and I know they're not even part of the union, one isn't even part of the fire department anymore. So, no I will not visit the firehouses and confront randomly firefighters who may or may not be involved in this only to make the issues worst. I'm addressing it here. Not hiding behind my computer. Contrary to what you may think, I work, and don't have all the time you all have to sit around conjuring up these inane posts!  This is very time consuming to answer and waste typing time on if you're going to disrespect and make accusations against me when you don't even know me.

#9 As far as your comment was concerned, every person at these polls were all affiliated with Southern Manatee. I know, I am firefighter and worked them for 12 hrs to insure my livelyhood and rest of the citizens of this district. Union members from Tampa? Really? Do you not realize how ridiculous you look when you write nonsense like this? You dont think Tampa and St. Pete have to worry about there own livelyhoods up there? Thank God that no-one other than educated firefighters read your blogs anyways.

By Anonymous on What Voters Can Expect Now? the ugliest picture ..... at 8:32 AM

I don't "look" ridiculous when I'm printing what I was told by the Elections Supervisor who was most likely told that by his election deputies who most likely had to deal with you guys all day. Ridiculous is the huge protest you guys are making over my opinion. It all smells like a dead rat to me. Sorry guys, but let it rest. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong and it'll all die down and I'll let sleeping dogs lie. If I'm not, then I'll be here to say so and wish the better for Southern Manatee.

I am weary now of answering but I hope you've gleaned one thing from this: I do want the truth. And even those on the "other" side know I've asked the hard questions that they have to attest to as well. I don't like personal agendas and I believe that is the issue here.

A Commissioner made promises, a Deputy Chief and Battalion Chief's noses are out of joint. If I'm wrong, then the Commissioner will break those promises and the Deputy Chief will do his job and the Battalion Chief will be dealt with, but the current Chief and his staff will keep their jobs and the firefighters will get their union and their demands, and we taxpayers will provide your income. I hope.

Bottom Line from here on out: Any more Anonymous posts will be deleted. If you post and do not wish to be identified for protection of your position, say so. I'll honor it. I'll repost you and honor your request. But Anonymous will not be posted and will be deleted from here on out. There you have it. Debbi