What happened? Justice? NOT!

Just when I think the system will work, it doesn't. Just when I think if I get quiet and let Lady Justice do HER job and the system do IT's job, everything will work.  Either the Manatee County District Attorney's office really believed the biggest pack of lies they could've heard or intimidation finally took over and everything dissolved ... as so often happens, pulling the rug out from under the DA's office and resulting in the following out-of-the-blue sudden decision by their office. It's unfathomable that these children who've probably endured horrors already, would have had to relive it in the courtroom and THAT alone probably dissolved this case... but I speculate... which I can do now that this case is CLOSED.

ONCE AGAIN, MARK C. RUBEN ESCAPES HIS JUST DUE.  And don't tell me he's spent so much time in jail ...yada yada yada!  What he's done is lifelong! And regardless of discrepancies, children don't lie in details that had to be attained to achieve the charges they got.


Once again, people have suffered as a result of his behavior and he goes scott free.

Once again, murder occured (yes, child abuse, especially child sexual abuse is murdering a childs soul and they will spend their lifetime overcoming it.)


PUBLIC RECORD:
the order Nolle Prosequi... "No prosecution" 
 His trial date had been already set for May 13th...  

Say what you will, I don't want to hear it. Defend him all you want but a District Attorney's office doesn't go the extent it went on this case unless something was there, and it was valid. But as usual time was on Ruben's side and as in all things, time can heal and time can diminish and time can discount and pretty everyone just wants it to go away and they give up. Ruben timed it out...for which I'm so sorry. He really needed to suffer the consequences of these charges.


But there's a special place waiting for him some day and then he'll get his just due. Til then... this is what was decided.

How incredibly sad someone so in need of real punishment keeps slipping through the system.

Anonymous & Justice

Some say justice is blind. Others say there is no justice. For an abused child, involved in the lifesucking state of ANY abuse, they are sure that both are true.

This blog's purpose is to bring awareness to the citizen's of this FIRE DISTRICT about it's elected commissioners and what was going on with the Union's push behind the last elections - which was regardless of all their propaganda and self-promotions NOT in this districts best interests.

Since it's inception, this blog as tried to be as honest as possible with as many facts as possible. Admittedly, I have not always succeeded at that and where possible have conceded & remanded whatever discussion I may have been inaccurate about.

But recently, everything took a sordid turn down a road no one wanted to travel. I have posted the charges brought forth by the State of Florida against former Commissioner Mark Ruben on 8 counts of CHILD sexual molestation and Lewd & Lascivious behavior with a minor.

At this point, I want to make myself perfectly clear:

This blog will not discuss these charges or this case or venture any further opinions about Mark Ruben than has been said already in the comments. I am incredibly apalled and deeply disgusted just as any moral human being (and especially those of us who are parents) should be. However, in order to allow the justice system that suffers terribly from every loophole there is, to work to it's fullest and most responsible extent, this blog cannot become the media playground for discussing it. It will only HELP Ruben's case, could cause a mistrial or in some manner interfere with the due process.

Therefore, please, stop posting ANONYMOUS posts of miscellaneous information that I will not post that is too personal and can affect the case directly  Please don't email me with info to send out, or expect me to make waves where there are none to make. Without anyone's help, Mark Ruben has plenty to think about and figure out for himself.

Better now to focus on exactly what this commission has been up to, whether the firefighters' judgment is all that trustworthy after this recommdation and what the future holds for Southern Manatee Fire District. It IS an election year. It's time to choose new seats again, please Voters, Beware and Choose wisely!

Nothing to Hide... but then none of this is about me!

What's that old saying? The best defense is a great offense? Well, those special spokesman firefighters of SMFD have definitely perfected being offensive!  With nothing better to do than defend Commissioner Ruben, they've taken to continuing to smear Tom Hennessey (that's some gratitude for taking care of them and getting them their precious union to protect their futures), kick their ex-chief Gover Foster now that he's gone (he was all wonderful when he was their buddy fire inspector/chief sharing in all those emails with ALL OF THEM) and dredge up my husband's ancient legal history. Oh, and to reveal our current financial difficulty with our home which is facing foreclosure but is not foreclosed on, much like nearly 11% of the county,  or statistically 1 out of every 10+ people who are struggling to keep their home!  CHALLENGE: If you can produce the final judgment and signed document by a judge showing the world that your slanderous lie is true, that I am living in a foreclosed home, please do! I'm sure my lawyer, Judge Gallen and our mortgage company and their lawyers would all be very interested before we all waste our time in mediation!  So how about you quit talking trash and deflecting the real truth with your lies.

Exactly what does my private life have to do with a public elected officials PUBLIC record and PUBLIC life that he willingly got himself voted into? Nothing. Exactly what does my personal issues have to with his when I am not the one asking to be held to a higher standard by sitting in a position his constituents depend upon him for? Nothing. Exactly how does MY personal life (or my husbands) affect anyone else in this district? Not at all! But Commissioner Ruben's personal problem has surely affected the life of a constituent very personally now! Answer any of those questions regarding Commissioner Ruben and yes, as an elected official in charge of making decisions that affect a multitude of people dependent upon his GOOD CHARACTER, SOUND DECISION MAKING, and INTEGRITY and I think he fails miserably.  There's no slander in that when it's obvious in his PUBLIC record. However, there is huge slander in dragging my husband into this and my personal history out for everyone to judge. Especially when those hiding behind this "John 8:32" scripture have very public histories that are nothing to be proud of. It's deflection at it's worst. Is that how the Southern Manatee Fire Department operates now? Deflect everything so no one can see anything for all the smoke and mirrors? Is that how the firefighters want it to work? Is that what the Union is promoting? Just how dirty do you want to get John 8:32????

Once again, it's so obvious I've struck a nerve with the last post about Commissioner Ruben. So much so that the firefighters would DEFEND his actions by attacking my public record which is intertwined with at least two other Deborah Willis' (Deborah L., and Deborah J.) in this county (one of which has a very criminal record that I've oft come up against).  So, while "slinging the mud" back at me, facts are screwed up and assumptions made without knowing what they're talking about. Feathers in the wind again- you are so good at throwing out the feathers you cannot collect!  Worst yet, you are dredging up history over 20 years old on my husband who's had nothing whatsoever to do with any of this. What a cheap, despicable shot!

I can keep my license because my worst traffic ticket was for speeding back in 2002 and it's been nearly ten years since that one. All other tickets since then have been for lack of proof of insurance at the time of a stop, but proven to be in effect later and the charges dismissed. So exactly why wouldn't I have a license? Did you even read the charges and the conclusions? My next closest infraction is 1994 prior to 2002! My other namesakes have issues, and despite my "leadfoot" I am currently running a fairly clean record. 

As for my husband, don't even remotely suggest anyone should be glad no one was near him on a bicycle! What a disgusting and disrespectful thing to insinuate in light of a horrendous tragedy! Those charges are over 20 years old and was a very costly, expensive lesson of a stop with a much younger man (mid twenties). Yes, it DID involve fleeing the police, a "concealed" weapon (his sheath knife from hunting was in the car) and careless driving that he pled GUILTY to because he took responsibility for his actions at the time and then probation and paid his dues for his offense. At least Doug owned up immediately to his actions and didn't try to weasel out of it like Commissioner Ruben has on everything he's done up to this point! So just leave my husband out of this! You're playing with fire on this one.

I have nothing to hide. But then none of this is about me. You can keep trying to make it about me. That's the easy thing to do, to throw cheap shots at me all day long. You can keep saying things you know nothing about or assuming things you see when you've no idea or don't even check birthdays in records to be sure it's the same person for all the charges! But it's all your nonsense and a waste of time. Keep wasting your time. It's supposed to be all about the fire department and the district and what we as taxpayers are getting for our taxes. It's all about firefighting and whether the district is sound and our board is non-corrupt.  And whether or not my finances are sound make no difference to my recognizing when my fire district isn't!

But it does make a difference if I'm in charge of it and my own finances aren't, such as Commissioner Ruben's weren't for most of the past couple of years!  I didn't do the things Ruben has done and then try to get out of my consequences. I only listed his accidents. Had I really wanted to dredge up dirt I could have gone way overboard and been very inappropriate in mentioning a lot of personal issues in detail. Do you really want to pursue this foreclosure business in depth? It's practically a story by itself and with enough research, I've no doubt my list would show I'm not alone in these difficulties. NO ONE is escaping that very much these days. Those who accuse are usually the guilty parties of what they're accusing. I'm not the one throwing stones and living in a glass house.

If Commissioner Ruben spent as much energy on doing his job as a Commissioner as well as he does on trying to be who he wants everyone to think he is, he'd probably be a good Commissioner. If he focused on solving his own problems first and then got honest about everything, he'd be back on the right track. But as long as everyone around him is willing to gloss over his problem, he'll just be another accident waiting to happen! Personally, I'm praying this has been Commissioner Ruben's wake up call.

Commissioner Mark Ruben Endorsed for Public Safety: Really, So What NOW?

Sondra Thompson
(from Bradenton Herald Photo)

Breaking news in Manatee County on Sunday January 30, broke my heart for the family of Sondra Thompson, 66, of University Park, who died in a truck- bicycle crash that occurred around 1:45 p.m. at Whitfield Avenue and Treymore Court in Manatee County, according to the FHP. The biggest reason it broke my heart was because it involved Southern Manatee Fire District's very own Fire Commissioner Mark Ruben. Accident's are nothing new for Ruben. With the frequency of what is on public record, I can't help but wonder how many have happened that haven't been major enough to report. How many wrecks does it take before the proper authorities take notice that a potential problem might exist? Commissioner Ruben's history is well documented in the public records:

• May 9th, 2009- Ruben had an accident with a company vehicle and incurred damages causing a small claims suit.
• April 10, 2010- Nearly a year later, Ruben had a more serious accident with injuries in which there's an open lawsuit still in progress.
• Sometime in between or during all these, there was the accident that completely totaled his truck out.
• September 2010- Ruben failed to make a fire district meeting because of, yes, you guessed it , ANOTHER vehicle accident! We only know this because he informed the board of the reason of his absence. It wasn't reported publicly.
• January 30. 2011- Ruben killed a bicyclist on Whitfield, not too far from his home. Charges are pending against Ruben according to the FHP. And family & friends are grieving an untimely loss that most likely could have been prevented.

I am incensed because previously, I had noted from the start the multiple issues with Commissioner Ruben.  While the union came out with their Public Safety Endorsement poster for the elections, everyone chose to a turn  blind eye to the glaringly obvious issues that do not show this commissioner to be above reproach in a public office. I had hoped to educate the public, but the union and majority of firefighters backing this facade of political interest on behalf of  the "good taxpayers of this district" continued to promote Ruben throughout the campaign despite his personal chaos. Public record shows an even greater multitude of issues for Ruben that make me wonder just why do I want this man managing my fire district when his personal finances, his personal driving record and his marriage are a trainwreck! Keep in mind that over three months ago and several weeks prior to the elections that should not have put this man back in office, I wrote the second part of a three part blog on October 27th, called: "Misappropriations".  I opened it reminding everyone of public office duty since it seemed the "good ol' boy" attitude had been the prevailing theme of late and wrote:

"Misappropriation: That's a big word for misusing things or funds that aren't a persons. When someone is in a public office or position it's important to remember that what you have is provided by the taxpayers and you must remain above reproach. It's always good to be held accountable but often times from the inside looking further in, if you're not in the management end of things, you really don't understand the big picture." 

I further explained the reasons for my comments about this misappropriation thought and how it applied to Commissioner Mark Ruben in particular, i.e. the birthday party at the firehouse for his child (which would obviously would have fully impeded the function of that house that day), the use of the fire department credit card by a deputy chief for Mark Ruben's child's birthday cake, and making promises to that same deputy chief that he'll make him the next chief (which he has already foolishly publicly attempted to fulfill that promise during the December Fire Meeting).  However these pale in comparison to what would be the precursor to this tragedy on Sunday afternoon, January 30th, 2011 when Sondra Thompson lost her life bicycling near her home because Mark Ruben was on the same road as her. 

Talented local musician dies in bicycle crash - Local - BradentonHerald.com

Talented local musician dies in bicycle crash - Local - BradentonHerald.com

Tom Hennessy - a Man of Honor, but How Will Anyone Know Now?

On January 11th, retired Southern Manatee Fire Chief om Hennessy was cleared of any wrong doing by the recent investigation of his pension pay out by Pension Board. After a thorough and lengthy investigation, Chief Mike Johnson could not find any wrong doing according to the policies set forth, the procedures or actions at the time of Chief Hennessy’s retirement. Yet, most all anyone will remember from this sordid media mess is that Hennessy was charged by the media and investigated by his own department for doing something wrong to get his million dollar plus pension payout.

Tom Hennessy’s reward after 25 years of stellar service to this county in the Southern Manatee Fire District is a name dragged through the mud because of false accusations brought against him by the UNION he promoted to his own department and a disgruntled, bitter Battalion Chief. Now that’s some way to honor great service isn’t it? That’s something to look forward to in this district if you do a good job: expect the piranha’s to chew you up, spit you out and then never apologize for lying about your good name. Tom Hennessy has been angry about this entire ordeal and with very good reason.

Leigh Hollins, formerly of Cedar Hammock, said it better than I ever could in a comment to one of my blogs, about Tom Hennessy’s pension:
“The pension board did nothing wrong, Hennessy did nothing wrong.


Union official (Merv) Kennell is quoted as saying, “if it was done right, we’d drop our objections” and “we don’t believe it’s ever occurred before”. Well Merv, it all checked out and you owe Hennessy an apology and you are right, it’s never occurred before…because Chief Hennessy is the first (my emphasis) employee to retire from Southern Manatee with a full 25 year plus pension.


What’s the problem here? The problem is there is a disgruntled Battalion Chief with a personal agenda (my emphasis). You want a story, check out his record at, and away from, the department…..and away from the fire department….it’s all public record.
In his eight years as chief, he and the board of fire commissioners, brought the department’s facilities up to standard, replacing outdated stations and building an administration center; he enhanced the pay and benefits of his firefighters and he obtained badly needed fire apparatus. From what he was told by the firefighters, the reason the firefighters joined the union (just as he was retiring) was because they wanted to “lock in” and secure the pay and benefits that he worked to obtain for them.


Chief Hennessy was also the “brainchild” of, and spearheaded, the Manatee County Emergency Services Memorial Fund, which was responsible for funding and building the beautiful Emergency Services Memorial in Rossi Park and whose perpetual fund provides financial relief to the families of Manatee County emergency personnel who are hurt or killed in the line of duty.


Make no mistake, those who chose to drag Chief Hennessy into a management/union struggle for their personal gain (my emphasis), including the Bradenton Herald and his accusers, should be thanking him for his service and you should all be ashamed. He deserves a public apology.”

Do you see a trend here? PERSONAL agends, PERSONAL gain. Will the Bradenton Herald print an apology for swallowing the bait from the Union hook line and sinker and then dragging Tom’s good name through the mud? Anytime a million dollars plus payout is talked about it can “look” dirty. No one wanted to discuss the 25 years of service. TWENTY FIVE YEARS as a firefighter in this county, working through mergers, interlocal agreements and chaos while managing to become a fire chief over one of the most controversial yet to become one of the best fire districts in the state. The Union strategy to sensationalize the amount of the pension to the general public and then indicate that it was “dirty” politics to tarnish a good man’s name AND everyone associated with him was successful, via the press. Hooray for the first amendment! This is where an editor should be a little more responsible and perhaps do investigative reporting instead of conviction reporting. There is a way to write objectively so that the public can make up their own minds about who’s saying what. I seriously doubt there’ll be any apologies forthcoming from the Bradenton Herald. it always falls under the guise of journalism.

Anonymous Strikes Again! No Guts, No Integrity, So What's New? NOTHING of course... It's all coming true!

It's so sad when what's predicted comes true and it's just not good for the department or district because it's so extremely obvious it all personal agenda's. While I've  watched this entire mess unfold in the Southern Manatee Fire District, I have  been dismayed at the audacity of Commissioner Mark Ruben and Battalion Chief Pete Donchenko, Jerry Bennett and Union President Merv Kennel. At the December Fire District Meeting, Fire Chief Foster Gover resigned with dignity.He has sat through these meetings listening to the charges being rattled off that mostly occured several years ago when he was in another position.He proffered up the solution to a bad situation full of some poor judgments that had cost him his position.   I would have sought relief from staying there too were I the chief.  Gover Foster left with dignity, and SMFD has mud on it's face as there are just as many lower ranking people guilty of the same things the chief was found guilty of.

Yet they're too busy going back over my old posts and correcting me and then continuing to pick at me with ANONYMOUS posts about facts they think I misconveyed about my own physical condition during an event in which I depended on the services of the SMFD. (Trust me, THAT won't ever happen again! EVER.)  Once again, Anonymous just doesn't have any backbone to sign their name! Seems to me there aren't any backbones, integrity and guts in all the anonymous posters who have to HIDE behind ANONYMOUS! Lots to say but nothing to own. Just cowardly.  In this case, it may be an EMT, in which case, what was the point except to pick on medical technicalities.

Just a little fyi... your heart rate cannot be 70/38. Your blood pressure can be though. Oh and we dont give epinephrine for symptomatic bradycardia (which is what your attempting to describe) we give atropine. And I love my brothers at SMFR, however they dont tell "EMTs" what is needed on a call. SMFR are first responders and trained EMTs. The people who gave you medicine and made the decision to transport you were an ALS (advanced life support) team. This means one charge paramedic and either one EMT or a second paramedic. I dont know enough about the politics of all of this to make any comment on that. However if your posting facts, then light needed to be shed on your mistakes when it came to EMS and your treatment. Anonymous.

First off to Anonymous, thank you, you are correct about the heart rate as I miswrote in my haste and have since corrected it. But, were you there at my house when the ambulance showed up with the personnel at my door? (I'm sorry but I'm not going to attempt to try to keep straight everyone's individual potential titles! To me an EMT is in an ambulance and I happen to know SMFD train their firefighters to be EMT's and first responders too.) Were you there when the firefighters greeted them at my door? They doublechecked the same things the firefighters had done and got all the same readings on my blood pressure and then mutually helped each other get the stretcher and me together as my front entrance isn't very conducive to it. Were YOU the one who was administering the ECG to me in the ambulance and couldn't get a good reading so that after the third attempt, I finally asked why the confused look and you explained "too much noise" on the reading, so then I explained the internal tremors (ANOTHER MS factor!) that no one see but I can feel. And that's when the injection came out for my IV site and my blood pressure suddenly jumped to "normal" so we could proceed on to the hospital. I ASKED what that was and was told, epinephrine. I always ask as an informed patient is better off than one who isn't.

But now you tell me you would never do that so I'm intrigued. I researched it and found this: "...so bradycardia and salivation are unwanted side-effects. It is much more appropriate to give atropine (or glycopyrrolate), which deals with all the parasympathetic side-effects, than it is to give epinephrine, which deals only with the bradycardia. Epinephrine is very short-acting, and needs to be given by infusion for a sustained effect, whereas a single injection of atropine often has sufficient duration. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090510012718AANHm7q " 

Since I wasn't having a full blown heart failure and only experiencing the bradycardia, then, I believe the personnel did the right thing! Epenephrine- short term stabilization for the trip to the hospital. It was shot into my IV too (which if I remember correctly is by infusion so that appears accurate also).  Had I not had tremors he probably could have seen my heart was fine and not shot me with anything. You're arguing MY HEALTH with me which anyone who knows me, isn't wise. Even my doctors know they've got to explain themselves cos I don't blindly follow unless I understand. So please, for brevity, I was simply making a complimentary point to the good service I got. But, that won't happen again.

Have a Great Weekend!

To ALL the firefighters of Southern Manatee, I am truly sorry there is such a deep riff of misunderstandings, bitterness, and twisted notions. In time what I've said will ring true.  Nothing stays hidden forever.  We will all learn what we need to know in due time. The sad part is that the taxpayers, YOUR real bosses in the big picture of all this, are the ones who will suffer unless someone is fiscally responsible and sensible about the demands. I never dreamt that I would see a counter blog full of so much disrespect, snide comments and personal attacks for a taxpayer in your district. I've addressed issues and the character of a couple of very embarassing people to the district. Even another union member has said these few people have made the union look bad. I have always spoken my mind and researched what I know, apologized for any misinformation, but always OWNED WHAT I SAY and only ONE post I recieved was able to put his name on his thoughts. Such cowardice I never expected. There are very intelligent ways to express yourself without getting into trouble with anyone for your thoughts. Obviously none of you could figure that out. In that case it would have been better to follow the old saying (paraphrased) that if you can't say something respectfully or shouldn't be saying anything, then don't say it at all.

And if you're frustrated by all this, then now you know how the old commissioners feel by the attack you launched on them, and how the taxpayers who voted for you blindly not understanding what they were voting for because they trusted the FIREFIGHTER! When the union is so politically driven as to be involved in all aspects of our local government, then the local citizens need to pay attention to what's going on or be prepared to pay through the nose. Not all of us are civil workers and it's not fair that those who are can unionize and penalize those of us who aren't.

Taking "phrases" of what I've said as a whole is taking me out of context.  For example, I'll respond to the base salary comment because the public isn't fully aware of just how good we're making it for the fire department. Sure, it's not the whole package these days but even us regular people out in the secular world are reminded that our pay INCLUDES all our benefits WHICH WE HAVE TO SHARE IN THE COST OF!  So when you take your base salary of starting pay ($30-38K) and add in that healthcare package that the rest of us are paying upwards of $600+/mo (($7K/yr) that our employers share with us; that starts you out in the ($37-45K range).  Next figure in the pension plan that you do contribute 3.5% to but the employer contributes fully to the remainder (such as a 401K), that if you do your job well and get your raises acccordingly, you'll get that healthy mega monthly salary for the rest of your life!  Not to mention the rest of your package that doesn't need to be exposed but all carries a particular value that puts you well over the STARTING pay of ($50K)!  (bold underline is my correction, as I was corrected in a post). So, be grateful and stop whining!

The public is more than dying on their feet trying to survive this economy and you're making it sound like you're suffering on your benefits and salary while working your eight days a month! And now you can argue that those eight days are equal to 24, and I know you have many more responsibilities than just fighting fires, etc. I know the fantastic things you do in our community and all the work you do on the equipment, so it's not a lax job but the point is, that it's a good paying job and you are appreciated. But all this has made you sound like you don't think you are and want more.  

All the people responsible for what they ARE responsible for will do what they are supposed to do and those of you who are supposed to submit to their authority should do so. Hopefully everyone involved will remember who you serve on all fronts. I am not into pissing matches, nor do I have the time nor the energy to continue to confront or deal with the stupid remarks and personal attacks I have viewed on your blog and seen posted to mine. I had expected much better of FIREFIGHTERS and only had ONE post to my site. I had expected a FIREFIGHTER to own his words and thoughts with courage, stand behind his principles and the postings such as I recieved and sign them.  Even an anonymous post can sign the post.  I have to admit I have been highly amused that my blog has made such an impact though. As I said before, perhaps the dirty laundry should have stayed at home and been handled more discreetly, not dragged into the board meetings! Then I wouldn't have had anything to query about.

So with that gentleman, and please, those of you who are not guilty of all this behavior, please, know you hold  a very special place in my heart and are in my prayers always.  My husband considers me a little strange for caring so much about our fire department but hey, it's what I do. You serve us in times of emergencies (and I'm particularly grateful for that!), and though our district isn't a high emergency district, when it happens I pray for your safety and that no one is hurt. Once committed to something,  I generally stay committed but I won't play in the same mudpit, such as the blog wars, forever.



SMFD 10/31/10 SR70
first responders!

Besides, the infighting and bickering amongst you has me more concerned than anything considering how you need to depend on each other. I cannot imagine how Merv Kennell considers that healthy for any department. I pray when push comes to shove and a dangerous moment actually strikes, you'll remember you really are brothers fighting the fire, or handling a crisis and not whether or not you're in the union. I've wondered how bad the lines are drawn. 

So, please get on with the job you have to do, debate whatever you wish, and let things fall where they may. I know one thing: you do not know my source and would not guess it ever. So quit laying the blame on "my neighbor". He lost and he's out of it. You got your way and wish.It's a shame that he worked 18 years to build up what you now enjoy only to have you work 18 months to take over it all. The new commissioners will ride the coat tails of a lot of hard work and look like heroes for their accomplishments but the general public should know it was the PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION that accomplished it. Now you have to live with your will. May God have mercy on us if you stick to personal agendas. I hope all my fears are false and high roads are taken from here on out. There's a strong possibility our new commissioners realilzed what happened and will now rule smartly and not like puppets. They really represent the taxpayers and no one else. Now, the public knows what they needed to hear. Anyone who wants to talk to me, just email me @ stonecreek3408@gmail.com. If you're polite and reasonable, I'll be the same. If not, we don't have anything more to talk about. Hopefully, I as a taxpayer of this district will continue to be as proud of Southern Manatee Fire District as I always have been: the best fire district in the county.

John 8:32 THE TRUTH WILL set you free! He always has!

Taking scripture out of context for personal use is such a favorite past-time of our society that it reminds me of the warnings Jesus gave us when talking about the end times and saying that this is exactly what would happen: that false prophets would speak, that the word would be used against us and that we would see many, many things that sounded like God and tickled our ears but weren't. Personally, I'd be very wary using scripture for my personal use like that because I think there's a very strong accountability issue. I recognize the fact that at any given moment, I may be in the presence of my Lord and Savior, and I do not want to be the one to look into His eyes and admit I misused His words for my personal gain.

So, let's explore that passage that is so fondly being thrown around at the moment and chastising me for posting what my very credible source has given me. The passage comes on the heels of the adulterous woman in which the Lord stated he who is without sin may cast the first stone. And no one could.(This is the first step of teaching that we are all sinners.) 

The next section just before this is Jesus' revelation that He is the Light of the World and believing in Him, no one will walk in darkness. (This is Jesus offering the solution to our sins: believing in Him.) Now mind you, please, remember that this portion of the chapter is addressing the Scribes and Pharissees up to this point in front of the Jews at the temple on the Mount of Olives.

And then it shifts, to those who believed in Him, He said: “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (Everyone focuses on just the second half of that sentence.)

All of my studies have taught me to read the verses before and the verses after for context. I'm sure this is actually sunday school 101 for everyone. So the verses after this one, go on to explain, that Jesus was talking about Himself. The truth here is HIM. Always has been and every believer knows that. So to use this verse like you have for YOUR TRUTH is misinterpretation of this verse.

The truth that needs to come out in our district will come out in the investigation Chief Johnson is thoroughly conducting. The truth you are espousing is your viewpoint from the labor side which doesn't have to balance all the management issues. The truth I have been posting is the "rest of the story" so to speak from the management side from deeper within so that you might possibly understand there are things labor doesn't know nor do they need to know. Management does what they have to do.

Mistakes will happen. There really are better ways to handle things than what's been going on. Rash accusations, tempers, disrespect, manipulation, games and rumors don't serve anyone. Timing is everything and our economy certainly hasn't helped everybody's original gameplan. A little grace goes a long way on all sides though.  

Short Lesson and Food for Thought on Pensions... one of the primary benefits of a firefighter

I was working on this post before I got tangled up in the attacking comments I had to address in the blogwars, so it's kind of out of order but still worthy of thinking about.

Retirement means relaxation and all the great things you worked for right? Well it didn't for Chief Hennessy when he came under attack for taking a lump sum payout for his pension. So let's explore the differences to their pension benefit AND the difference between his and Lester Godwin III's payment plan.

What's the difference between a Pension and a 401K? I wondered that myself as I've read all these arguments over the general public's outcry over a man who worked nearly 29 years to be the first firefighter to retire from Southern Manatee Fire & Rescue, Tom Hennessy. Then I wondered if Lester Godwin III had really thought it out before he let his outcry go the Bradenton Herald because the general public isn't stupid. There's been a lot of talk about Chief Tom Hennessy's pension payout of $1.6 million.  The amount sounds so exhorbitant until you figure out what that equates to per year for the time he worked: approximately $57,000/year income, which is basically a percentage of his salary.

The union managed to help blow out of proportion the payout that Chief Hennessy recieved for his pension because he got it in one lump sum of $1.6million after nearly 29 years of service to the department. This was properly done (as fully explained in the post by Leigh Hollis) and paid in one lump. This occured because the Union President, Merv Kennell took this to the ABC-TV Ch 7 news and made a news story about the issue.

The amount sounds exhorbitant but let's consider the next retiree who drew attention to himself with his extremely sad story in the Bradenton Herald, Lester Godwin III.  He retired also after 25 years and was told he could not have his lump sum of over $687,000 but would have to "settle for" monthly payouts of about $4800 per month for the rest of his life. Now think this through (as a Bradenton Herald reader has already), Lester Godwin is only 47 years old. There's a fair chance he'll live to be 67 years old, which is another 20 years. At that rate, Lester Godwin will have made $1,141,394.40 off the pension he's being paid montly. That's OVER $1 MILLION!  If he lives another 10 years, he'll earn $1.6 MILLION+ or nearly TRIPLE his lump sum pension! This is short term "sacrifice" for long term gain folks! Just do the math: $4755.81/mo x 12 =  $57,069.72/year income for his pension.

So, might we think the pension board actually did Lester Godwin a favor by securing him an income that he doesn't even have to work, but if he wanted to, COULD and RETIRE from an entirely different field if he wished with another pension or retirement plan?! Can we say shortsighted here? Goodness! In an economy where folks are and have been jobless for years, and pensions have been dissolved, this man ought to be downright grateful to get anything for the rest of his life! And it's guarnateed because TAXPAYERS can't just decide not to pay it out, and TAXPAYERS don't just go away (though they sure can become fewer which just shifts the burden to those of us left behind) so it's a sure thing! So, quit "crying"!

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.

What Voters Can Expect Now? the ugliest picture ...

What can the voters expect now? What are the repercussions of trusting all those fine-looking, muscled, red shirts that swarmed the polls tuesday and intimidated many voters or just provided a card with the for the unprepared? What happens when voters don't pay any attention to the smallest part (but most directly affective) of the voting race and the least discussed publicly issues in our vicinity (as they usually try to keep things cool, calm and clean in the district)?  What do we have to look forward to? Well,  let me paint a very ugly picture for us, and yes, I mean us cos it's going to hurt now.  No doubt on many fronts it's not pretty and the repercussions may resonate for years to come.

The Ugliest Picture could look like this but I'm praying it won't. I am truly hoping that the likes of Donchenko and the whole personal agenda deal fails miserably now that it's been exposed. Certainly, Ruben has to realize to fulfill these promises would make him look like the buffoon he's already been! But if it goes through it'll be something akin to sheer stupidity, though at first it may work just fine, it'll be simply a sad mistake that such assininity occurred.

What this means now is that most likely:

1)They will vote themselves a 3% raise which will be immediately translated into a 3% or more fire tax hike in our property taxes. 

• 3% doesn't seem like much but figure the average firefighter's wages start around $50k- $60K nowadays (that's why it's so attractive to be one again), that's an easy $1500-1800/year raise or broken down another $120-150/month in a family budget
• The Union Contract demands this now and it's on the table currently to be ratified. During times like we're in right now, and a time when firefighters are making a more excellent wage than they've ever made before, it's unheard of to demand an increase that will trickle down to hurt homeowners across the board. I know I don't need to pay 3% more on my taxes just to support a firefighters raise. Start living within your means, your salaries are twice mine and as much or more than my husband who works construction management 6 days a week (your average work week is 3 days)! 
• 3% sounds small until it's calculated on the $1000 in taxes... then it's $300 more. I like my taxes low. SMFD has been famous for keeping our taxes low while other fire districts are renowned for how high theirs are. Welcome to their world.

• The worst part is once done, it can't be undone and we all just have to live with it. While the firefighters will get the wages they need to support THEIR tax increases and higher expenses, OUR local businesses, employers etc will suffer those same increases we're suffering and we won't gain any increase in our wages NOR will we be able to support our increases in those taxes then. So do you see the damages here? Think beyond your personal gain, please? That's why I despise union promises, and fear-based thinking. You serve the public now start thinking about them!  

An Obituary of a Fire District , a Sad Day for SMFD

Southern Manatee Fire and Rescue District was once a fine fire district full of passionate, practically fire-breathing firefighters who did the right thing for their district and their families. I'm afraid they've gone soft though and despite still possessing many of those firebreathing, passionate firefighters, they are now the minority in a majority of decieved union followers. On November 2, 2010, SMFD died to the directives and politics of the AFL-CIO Local Union 2546 who will take control of the Board of Commissioners on November 18th at the next board meeting. In light of the victories of three candidates:

• Charles Durant, who actually appears to be qualified but misguided at the moment if he's as union-committed as he appears to be,

• 

  Commissioner
  Ranney

  Mark Ruben, who is essentially a traitor to the board he already serves with a lack of understanding that commissioners serve the taxpayers not any one "side", and 
• Anthony Evans, who not too much is known about him except he'll follow the other two and certainly hasn't the experience of Commissioner Ranney (who put up a valiant fight and had the most votes of all three candidates) whom he replaced,

there doesn't seem to be any hope for life as this district's residents have known it.




Chairman
Robert Kulchar



Commissioner
John Barry

 SMFD is survived by the current Chairman, Robert Kulchar and another board member, John Barry, both of whom are not up for election until 2012. Obviously the handwriting is on the wall and all future votes will most likely go into the record books in a 3-2 stand whereever the current administration and the new union-administration disagree.



Not that the majority of the voters seem to truly care though because the fire department is supposed to operate smoothly in the background of our lives, remember? It's supposed to be there at all times and rescue us when we need it and we just expect them to be our heroes. We don't want to know anymore about them and we trust that the folks WHO WE ELECT TO PROTECT US,  THE TAXPAYERS, will do just that, protect us... but then something goes awry. Like we don't check out our candidates, do any research, take time to attend a fire meeting, call someone who knows something, or just plain trust the beautiful, young man in the red shirt who says 'THIS IS OUR CANDIDATE, please vote for him (or them)'.

The really sad part is that I completely understand the fear-based, paranoid tactics the union used to get into the middle of US. What I don't understand is where the trust broke down and which leadership failed. In that area, I do trust and know someone will be watching closely and hopefully thinking with clear heads and not letting the union lead them around like bulls with their nose rings. Our firefighters are just this: firefighters. They aren't politicians and it's a total sham the union has turned them into this. Southern Manatee was unique prior to this union stuff. They had a wonderful system of trust with good commissioners for nearly twenty years and good leadership. They've survived against great odds when so many figured they would merge or fold. Always Southern Manatee came out better than before and blazing gloriously. I don't think we're shining so well right now with what took place yesterday. The union's happy but it's not a victory for SMFD. It's a road none of us should have gone down and truly a sad day for the voters of Southern Manatee Fire District.

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?

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.