Welcome to the Voters Beware Site for the Southern Manatee Fire District

Welcome to a blog designed solely to enlighten the taxpayers of the Southern Manatee Fire District as to the truth in their district - from those candidates running for their fire district positions to whatever's going on in the fire district.
The elections are almost over again but continue to visit ... this site will continue and always be the inside line to the district truth!
ONE PEICE OF ADVICE: if we'd learned anything from the last election- don't elect whoever they recommend because it's union backed... elect the opponent please. We don't need the unions plans to come completely full circle!
Don't go down the wrong road, like we already have, just because you don't know!
Another election has come and gone and voters have proven they are lazy and simply follow the recommendations cos it's easier... well folks when the market comes back and your real estate taxes go up, remember now... remember how you just followed all these recommendations and just shake those union folks' hands and thank THEM for our higher fire taxes! Remember that and then look back fondly to the past years when we didn't have taxes like Cedar Hammock but do now... its coming.

CURRENT NEWS

CURRENT NEWS:
(03/21/2013) Former Southern Manatee Fire Commissioner Mark C. Ruben Trial Date WAS set for May 13th... then suddenly all charges were dismissed in a filed Nolle Prosequi by the DA's office. For what reason? Who knows?


http://www.manateeclerk.org/DesktopModules/AwsModules/Clericus/document.aspx?returnUrl=http://www.manateeclerk.org/PublicRecords/CourtRecordsSearch/tabid/57/ctl/detail/mid/484/Default.aspx&did=MjgxMzA0NjU%3d-QVtBnCF1UCA%3d

(10/31/12) Former Southern Manatee Fire Commissioner Mark Ruben Trial Date set:
08/17/2012 COURT EVENT Event: JURY TRIAL Date: 01/07/2013 Time: 9:00 am Judge: NICHOLAS, EDWARD Location: COURTROOM 4-A


(Feb 2, 2012) South Manatee fire commissioner suspended after sex charges. Gov. Rick Scott made the announcement Tuesday that Mark D. Ruben has been suspended after his arrest last week on sexual assault and molestation charges. http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/2012/february/376928/South-Manatee-fire-commissioner-suspended-after-sex-charges


(Jan 27, 2012) SMFD Commissioner Mark D. Ruben arrested for Sexual Assault & Sexual Battery.

http://www.bradenton.com/2012/01/27/3825608/photo-gallery-inmates-booked-into.html#http://media.bradenton.com/smedia/2012/01/27/06/24/lSuJ4.St.69.jpg

According to the charges filed against Commissioner Ruben as a matter of public record - see above- or go to http://www.manateeclerk.org.... you have to agree to the privacy issues, then go to court records and research Ruben, Mark & his record will show itself. There are a total of 8 counts : 4 of Sexual Battery & 4 of Lewd & Lascivious Behavior. He is being held without bond.

These charges date back to events beginning in 2005 and ending in 2011, against TWO minors. These are public record in the Manatee Clerk's files.

I commend those who have worked hard to remove another sexual predator! And I pray for his victims' recovery from this nightmare.


(Feb 17, 2011) Department Disciplines are being handed down, Interim Chief Johnson takes action.


Firefighters throughout Southern Manatee who had made the grave error of exhibiting poor judgment in sharing the various vulgar emails that were part of the THREE charges that convicted & convinced Chief Gover to resign from his duties, have been recieving their disciplines accordingly. The discipline was very simple: one day suspension without pay and a write up in their records for this behavior. This has surely sent the message throughout the department that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated anymore.


(Jan 30, 2011) Cyclist Killed in Manatee County Crash... Sondra Thompson, 66, of University Park, died in the crash that occurred at around 1:45 p.m. at Whitfield Avenue and Treymore Court in Manatee County, FHP said.

Thompson was riding her bicycle on Whitfield Avenue when she was struck from behind by Mark Ruben, who was heading in the same direction on Whitfield Avenue, FHP said.

(Jan 11, 2011) Former Fire Chief, Pension Board Cleared MANATEE — After months of rumor and speculation over the $1.6 million lump sum retirement payment to a retired fire chief, the investigator Tuesday cleared the Southern Manatee Fire and Rescue District Pension Board and the former fire chief of any wrongdoing.

The investigation concluded the pension board did nothing illegal in awarding the lump sum payment, which was allowed under its policies. And the former chief, Tom Hennessy, did not misuse his position or coerce the pension board in securing the lump sum payment, said the investigator, Interim Chief Michael Johnson.Read more: http://www.bradenton.com/2011/01/11/2868169/former-fire-chief-pension-board.html##ixzz1AvSnE4ln


Big surprise! NOTHING WRONG WAS DONE! Thank you Chief Johnson!

(Dec 16, 2010) Chief Gover Foster voluntarily resigned, on his terms, from Southern Manatee Fire District. With respect and dignity, but sadly, the Chief offered his own solution to the issues at hand after the extensive investigation that taken place at the behest of the union and it's members (the firefighters). All too quickly the NEW commissioners pounced on this opportunity to remove the Chief, by making sure the UNITY of their 3 votes to the opposing 2 votes of the veteran board members agreed to the Chief's offer to resign.

In a mildly determined debate amongst the board members, that saw some wisdom prevail by new board member Charles Durant, Mark Ruben tried to make his buddy, Tim Berry the chief immediately. The notion was defeated for the time being but not before Ruben made an ass of himself trying to insist upon Berry becoming the chief immediately.

Funny (not really) but wasn't all this predicted right here from the start?





(Nov 10, 2010) Old Commissioners still seated til Nov, 12, 2010. Then New Commissioners will assume positions.



( Nov 8, 2010) Union Contract passed in Special Board Meeting. Firefighters recieved the 3% raise they were asking for.



Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Public Opinion and Damage Control





As was feared, anytime a bad light is shown on a public organization, the public gets a bad taste about that organization. It's already showing by what I can tell from the posts following the article in the Bradenton Herald Saturday, October 30th by Sara Kennedy, who did  a fine job of quoting me after our lengthy conversation!  Check it out at: http://www.bradenton.com/2010/10/30/2696259_p2/southern-manatee-fire-race-heats.html#disqus_thread  called "Southern Manatee Heats Up".

Money always gets everyone in an uproar. How much someone has, how much someone's getting, how much someone is paid, if they're paid too much, if they're worth what they're paid and on and on and on ad nauseum!  It's truly a sad state of our world that we've all become such experts at everything when we really know nothing. I've learned over the years to really look hard at something before I decide I know alot about it. But today with the internet and forums and everyone's got a voice and an opinion, it's like everyone's 15 minutes of fame is more important than being remotely accurate.

i guess that's why campaign's like the one I've been fighting against all this past week get going. They know all you have to do is "sound" like you're  the real deal and everyone will think you are; or talk like it's all true and no one will realize it's not. We're such a lazy society! The best con game around is to act like it is true and everyone will think so. Sad.

But I have to admit to being appalled at the comments follwing this article. Comments all focused on the chief's pension, or the weight of our government employees & the time they leave their jobs, or how firefighters are not deserving of a pension, or the worst ones, in my opinion, "The salaries, benefits, and pensions of fireman is dishonorable and literally thievery." and "I AM AN AMERICAN TAXPAYER AND THE FIREMEN AND THE GOVERNMENT ARE HERE TO SUPPORT ME. I AM NOT HERE TO SUPPORT THEM."  When will we realilze WE ARE the government and we support each other in an interdependent mutuality? Where did the respect go?
Read more »
Posted by at 1 comment:

The BEST THINGS HAPPENING in the District!

On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the trailer that transported a 12foot steel beam from the Twin Towers from New York City for a memorial monument to be constructed in honor of all those who lost their lives September 11, 2001 was raffled off by the Southern Manatee Fire District. A ticket cost $10 and the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club won the trailer!


It was a good time of refreshing sharing and reconnecting with old friends.  The father of a fallen New York firefighter was on hand to pull the winning ticket and share how he's doing since losing his son. Helping with times and moments like this helps him. Sharing with fellow firefighters helps him remember he's part of a bigger picture. The warmth and comraderie was obvious between all the men. Commissioner Brad J. Ranney was on hand with Fire Chief Foster Gover, and men on the committee who organized the Steel Beam's transportation to Bradenton.


The trailer had been donated for the use of retrieving a 12 ft, 3500lb steel beam from New York for the trip to Bradenton but suffered considerable structural damage in the process. Because the trailer was only rated for 3200 lbs, and was now damaged, it was no longer feasibly saleable for the dealer to reuse, so the district purchased the trailer and repaired it properly. Thus the reason to raffle it off in order to recoup some of the costs of the trailer. The problem now is that all of the cost wasn't recouped and about $1800 will have to be made up to the District. So,  a couple of District management personnel have opted to pay the difference in lieu of the money coming out of the tax budget.
Should anyone wish to contribute to the reimbursement of the cost of the trailer, please send all donations to:
Southern Manatee Fire District, Administration Building, Attn, 9/11 trailer,  2451 Trail Mate Drive
Sarasota, FL 34243-4041 and you can call if you have any other questions, (941) 751-7675.  Leave a message for Commissioner Ranney or Chief Gover and they will return your call.

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)