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Mayor Battles with FD over Memorial Sign

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  • #1

    Mayor Battles with FD over Memorial Sign

    The mayor of Crown Point, IN called the fire chief to the carpet after a 9/11 memorial was displayed on the department sign's marquee. The mayor's disapproval over select wording on the sign couldn't be mentioned at a worse time. The sign displayed a message "CP VOL FD INC. REMEMBERS 343 FIREFIGHTERS LOST ON 9/11". The mayor has battled with the volunteer's over control of the sign since he took office. The Volunteer FD Inc, which is comprised of ALL members of the department, purchased the sign to commemorate the opening of the station when it was first built. The Chief, after being berated by the mayor for not getting the message approved, resigned the following day.

    This story, from a town of less than 25,000, stirred quite a few emotions within the fire service and found its way to more than just the local newspapers. Firehouse.com is featuring the story on its front page. News channels from Indianapolis to Chicago to South Bend are carrying the story and it went out on the AP wires.

    The story can be found here:

    http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssen...l/15502982.htm
    http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/lo...256075516.html
    http://www.cpfire.com (original news story and picture of sign)

    Thanks to this mayor we have lost our 3rd chief in just over a year. His foot-in-mouth actions have made us ashamed to be associated with the city.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Saw this and had to smile.

    You know there are more details and issues that people are not talking about. 4 Chiefs in 5 years??? Sounds like miro-management at it's best. Definately more to the story than what is being told...please stay tuned.
    Jason Knecht
    Firefighter/EMT
    Township Fire Dept., Inc.
    Eau Claire, WI

    IACOJ - Director of Cheese and Whine
    http://www.cheddarvision.tv/
    EAT CHEESE OR DIE!!

    Comment

    • #3
      Originally posted by Dickey
      Saw this and had to smile.

      You know there are more details and issues that people are not talking about. 4 Chiefs in 5 years??? Sounds like miro-management at it's best. Definately more to the story than what is being told...please stay tuned.

      My thoughts exactly. I do think the sign deal was crappy, but I highly doubt thats the WHOLE story.

      Comment

      • #4
        This kind of news used to surprise me.

        ...
        "Yeah, but as I've always said, this country has A.D.D." - Denis Leary

        http://www.lettertogop.com/

        Comment

        • #5
          The Mayor demoted 2 Chiefs in just over a year's time, and now after only 3 months a Chief with 28 years of career and 20 years of volunteer service is resigning? Hmm, sounds like they have a Mayor who wants to be a Fire Chief a little too badly. Maybe he should've just taken the position himself in June instead of hiring someone. It would seem there's no need for a Chief if the Mayor is micromanaging the entire dept anyway.

          I think the Mayor should've choosen his battle more wisely in this case though. I have a feeling the public will wind up siding with the dept and see the Mayor as being insensitive, even if he did mean well in wanting the sign to be more representative of the entire dept, not just the one company.


          Really though, I'm sure there's more to both sides. I'm just really bored right now and feel like typing out a purely speculative post. These types of threads are fun, because you get to read the post of someone who registered specifically to vent or badmouth their community, local government, own dept, local cops, fellow members, etc. and little by little you learn the truth, which often falls somewhere in the middle. Yep, it's fun to just come in to these threads and pretend you have a clue wtf is going on when you really have none. Even more fun when other members come in and fight with you, when neither of you have a clue! I love it, truly! Have a nice day everyone!

          Comment

          • #6
            You're right, there is always more to the story. The mayor didn't have a problem with the 9/11 tribute, he had a problem with the way it was displayed. We only have one company in the city and literally, every paid member of the department is a part of the Volunteer Organization. The sign's message, displaying CP VOL FD INC is more inclusive that CP Fire Rescue (technically just the paid guys).

            You can pull more out of this all you want, that's the best part. It all leads to an egotistical, over-bearing mayor that has disrupted a progressive, hardworking combined volunteer/career department.

            Comment

            • #7
              Sounds like he and Jack Jent (Portage Twp Trustee) have been doing lunch!!

              I wish you guys over in CP better luck with the next Chief. If you need help, PM me, I know a few guys in Lake and Porter County....................
              I.A.C.O.J. Charter Member
              "Chet, get an inch and a half on that!"

              "Not for fame or reward,Not for place or rank. Not lured by ambition or goaded by necessity. But in simple obedience to duty as they understood it. These men suffered,sacrificed,dared all, and died. Let us never forget our fallen friends."

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by 1835Wayne
                Sounds like he and Jack Jent (Portage Twp Trustee) have been doing lunch!!.........
                Yeah, weird huh?!

                When I clicked on the link the first thing I thought was "um isn't Fort Wayne in Indiana? hmmmmmm". Something in the water?
                September 11th - Never Forget

                I respect firefighters and emergency workers worldwide. Thank you for what you do.

                Sheri
                IACOJ CRUSTY CONVENTION CHAIR
                Honorary Flatlander

                RAY WAS HERE FIRST

                Comment

                • #9
                  What The ....................

                  Can someone closer to that area explain what a Mayor has to do with a Volunteer F.D. ?? Here in my area, VFDs are totally independent from any control by a municipality, or any elected official. All control over Public Safety is vested in County Government ONLY. There are minimum standards to meet in order to be a Firefighter, EMT, Officer, Etc. You meet the standards, you are able to function in that capacity, and there is absolutely nothing that anyone in municipal government can do about it.
                  Never use Force! Get a Bigger Hammer.
                  In memory of
                  Chief Earle W. Woods, 1912 - 1997
                  Asst. Chief John R. Woods Sr. 1937 - 2006

                  IACOJ Budget Analyst

                  I Refuse to be a Spectator. If I come to the Game, I'm Playing.

                  www.gdvfd18.com

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Originally posted by hwoods
                    Can someone closer to that area explain what a Mayor has to do with a Volunteer F.D. ?? Here in my area, VFDs are totally independent from any control by a municipality, or any elected official. All control over Public Safety is vested in County Government ONLY. There are minimum standards to meet in order to be a Firefighter, EMT, Officer, Etc. You meet the standards, you are able to function in that capacity, and there is absolutely nothing that anyone in municipal government can do about it.
                    In our area (Illinois) some volunteer departments are run by the city. The department I'm with used to be run by the city until we formed a protection district. Some of our neighboring departments are still run by the city. We like "being on our own", granted we still have trustees. If someone on the city board is mad at the FD, it had no impact on us, although we do like to try and get along If you have any more "Q's" feel free to ask!

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Originally posted by hwoods
                      Can someone closer to that area explain what a Mayor has to do with a Volunteer F.D. ?? Here in my area, VFDs are totally independent from any control by a municipality, or any elected official. All control over Public Safety is vested in County Government ONLY. There are minimum standards to meet in order to be a Firefighter, EMT, Officer, Etc. You meet the standards, you are able to function in that capacity, and there is absolutely nothing that anyone in municipal government can do about it.
                      Chief, to the best of my knowledge (and I will admit that my knowledge is a tad limited), most departments in the US are NOT run by the county. Heck, excluding Maryland and Virginia, Most East coast departments aren't run by the county.

                      Again, TTBOMK, most are either run by the municipality, run as a fire protection district under the supervisior of the district trustees, or a combination of both. Not saying a county system is good or bad (personally I like it, but I can see it as having drawbacks as well), only that what happens in your corner of the world isn't practiced elsewhere.

                      And for the record, I imagine that county departments have issues with county officials micromanaging or butting heads with individual departments as well.
                      If my basic HazMat training has taught me nothing else, it's that if you see a glowing green monkey running away from something, follow that monkey!

                      FF/EMT/DBP

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Originally posted by hwoods
                        Can someone closer to that area explain what a Mayor has to do with a Volunteer F.D. ?? Here in my area, VFDs are totally independent from any control by a municipality, or any elected official.
                        You'd flip out here in Arkansas. State law says that city councils "shall establish fire departments and provide them with proper engines and such other equipment as shall be necessary..." So, this means that in most of the incorporated communities in the state, there is a municipal fire department. With a statewide population of only 2.6 million citizens, an extremely large percentage of these departments are mostly volunteer or 100% volunteer.
                        sigpic

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                        • #13
                          This mayor chose a bad issue to butt heads with the chief over...if he had a beef with the guy (or the 4 previous chiefs), arguing over a sign that honors 343 brothers who gave their lives in the line of duty and forcing the chief to resign is not the best way to make himself look good in the eyes of the citizens/voters. But what can you expect from an elected official...they don't understand the concept of brotherhood...if you're not on "their side of the aisle" (let's not get into politics here), giving them a campaign contribution or voting for them, they have no use for you.

                          I agree with others who say that it sounds as though this mayor has a desire to be the fire chief...maybe he's seen too many "Dukes of Hazzard"
                          re-runs...remember Boss Hogg? He was the mayor, county commissioner, the fire chief, public works director, everything...

                          Just my 2 cents...Stay Safe...

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Well, here in Indiana, generally the Township Trustee provides the funding for the fire department, poor relief, etc.... In some townships the trustee also has the power to hire and fire the fire chief. In Crown Point it is a city owned Dept.........so the Mayor is in charge.
                            I.A.C.O.J. Charter Member
                            "Chet, get an inch and a half on that!"

                            "Not for fame or reward,Not for place or rank. Not lured by ambition or goaded by necessity. But in simple obedience to duty as they understood it. These men suffered,sacrificed,dared all, and died. Let us never forget our fallen friends."

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              There's obviosuly some issues here given that they're going through more fire chiefs than rolls of toilet paper....

                              TO resign over a sign also tells me there's more to this than meets the eye....
                              Luke

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