GOING…GOING….GONE?……
Guess the the only oversight for the VFD will be this site…and the papers not in lockstep……for now….knowing full well…. there will be even more difficulty applied by the de-facto Chief’s loud and clear intentions to impede the public records law…to try to stall or shut down any requests made….
But they will be made…and if not honored in “a reasonable amount of time”…appropriate avenues will be enacted….He will say “witch hunt”…we say “transparency”…
As we approach the new year…once again this writer feels compelled to reiterate …I am not against the VFD…just the de-facto authority over the VFD…that has run roughshod over what could have been… a top-notch department beyond reproach…coming right out of the gate….October 1st…
The Vice Mayor…wearing those “2 Hats” along with his “2 Hats” sidekick…went after Commissioner Dodd….an attempt at a one-two punch…that went “thud!”….
Like a “boomerang”….this well- partnered attack just might have knocked those hats off….. this time around!…
It was revealed by Comm. Dodd….that Chief Perkins …. (at the podium for the VFD monthly report on the 16th)… was not honest in his account…when responding to questions about the 1 year gap voted in after a motion made by the Vice Mayor at the Nov. VFD meeting…that passed unanimously…( So, what is the real reason for no Plantation firefighters…allowed…perhaps they know too much…as did Pointu and Fowler?)…….
The Chief said it was “A courtesy…Chief to Chief” agreement….
Unfortunately for Chief Perkins…and Vice Mayor/Training Officer McIntee…a call to the Plantation Chief …proved otherwise….The Plantation Chief knew of no “courtesy” agreement…and was rather surprised to hear about it…..
Comm. Dodd was then “stonewalled” with a typical McIntee. far- fetched attempts at “squirling” his way out of this “gotcha” with some nonsense about the Plantation Chief being a “paid” Firefighter…thus the Plantation Chief “had” to say what he did…HMMMM…any comment from the Plantation Chief on this one?…A follow-up call is required…perhaps?….
Going further to dig his way out of the hole…McIntee said he spoke to the Deputy Chief..(a volunteer)…then went on to berate Comm. Dodd..saying Dodd was “antagonistic” to the VFD…trying to “micro-manage” the VFD…and they don’t like it!….(Exactly which hat was he wearing …when making these remarks?)….
Well, a little lesson for the Vice Mayor…which this writer still cannot believe hasn’t sunk in yet…Comm. Dodd does not back down….nope…… he checks things out…
It is said that McIntee’s claims didn’t pan out….when a call was made to check on his assertions of talking with the Plantation Deputy Chief after the meeting……
Commissioner Dodd also made a call to Pompano Beach…to check on their concern over an oversight committee ….as asserted by the VFD…the Chief …and the “2 Hats”…. Their Chief was not put off by an oversight committee…not at all…in fact the Pompano Fire Chief welcomed the oversight idea for any community…… added Pompano was absolutely there to assist in mutual aid..and that he had not yet spoken to the VFD Chief…he was waiting until after the new year!…
Further dismay and disbelief comes from word about the VFD meeting that took place 12/17/08…where we are told….not only did the Vice Mayor/ Training Officer badmouth Commissioner (Dodd)…but the VFD Chief is said to have joined in!…
Never mind protocol…By-laws…and rules of conduct…this unbecoming conduct is yet another reason why oversight is needed …big time…There is no Chief controlling the de-facto Chief….
Commissioner Silverstone’s lame account that the VFD already has oversight from the VFD Board of Directors…is a joke…take a look who makes up the BOD…and it’s the same members who will not stand up to McIntee…
Where was the BOD when the Pointu resignation and letter came about…it does not require the firefighter in question to assemble them to act accordingly and follow their own By-laws…they chose to do nothing…
The BOD has sat silent with monies being moved around…( what’s up with the Booster Fund)….votes not being taken…appointments being made…without the Board’s involvement…..along with personnel being returned to the roster without the proper rules being adhered to ….for re-entry…to the department….
So…give me a break…self-policing…it is not happening….it’s not oversight…it’s the same non- response…the same non- oversight we saw from the Town Manager..just sweeping it under the rug….
As far as comparisons to BSO…and what they went through…comparatively….just take a gander at the Town website archived minutes… watch the videos…or ask the BSO…how dogged McIntee was with his own brand of “oversight”…
HMMMM..portable radios are illegal…he declared from the dais…to Commissioner Dodd…about oversight members having radios…to monitor the VFD…
Well then… was the then- Commissioner McIntee …acting illegally when he often stated how he heard calls on the radio…and followed BSO fire-rescue…thus spending countless hours on the dais going on about engine this …and squirt that?….
Right now…after just shy of 3 months under contract with the town……the cracks are showing…and sorry to say…cracks appear whether the spotlight is on them or not…and where do those cracks seem to come from…the de-facto Chief…with his “cut to the chase”…”shoot from the hip”…”throw it at the wall and see what sticks”…brand of running this organization…. only he is supposed to be just a member …and not in a leadership role…certainly not calling the shots…not running the show…..no matter if he is “compensated” monetarily or not……
It’s not going to go away….especially in light of this new information…and this ongoing behavior….
The call for oversight…left with no choice … due to a missing 3rd vote on the dais…may mean we need to follow through with Commissioner Silverstone’s idea…and hire a firm to do a study…independent of the Town Manager and the VFD….using his vote as the 3rd (or 4th?)…for oversight…
Thanks Jim….great idea!…..(now let’s see if Comm. Silverstone does an about face)…OOPS!…
more to come….
Tags: LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, Scoops, VFD
