Dealing with commissioners

[Guest Close bigdadi67]

Tell me if anybody out there has had this problem, my company is in the process of purchasing a new truck our truck comm. did extensive research and brought
back to our company what we thought was the best truck for our needs plus at a good price. Well the truck comm was told buy a couple of the commissioners that
they will not ok the truck that we want, instead they are looking at a truck that is totally diff from the one we wanted, plus this truck will cost the tax payers more
money a good 30 to 40 thousand dollars more "so much for looking out for the tax payers, what a load of crap" please let me know if this sounds familiar

[Guest Close D.SCHWER]

Are you a Fire District with tax funding. If so I think that the Fire Commissioners would have the final say.

What should have happened is that a committee of offciers, drivers and fire commissioners should have speced out a rig together.

I'm curious what did the fire company spec and what is the fire commissioners buying.



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The views and opinions expressed herin are my personal views and opinions and not those of any organization, department I may belong to or represent

[Guest Close wofd1]

The commissioners do not have the final say, the taxpayers of the district do. petition the district to have it go to vote. The commissioners should let the people speak in form of a referendum vote. I think its a school all commissioners attend. We are in the process of speccing another new truck and were told we were getting a tanker, we sat down and told them our needs and after a few heated meetings they are letting us spec the truck we want. Good Luck
Stay Safe

[Guest Close karolin]

Sounds like what a lot of fire departments go through. I am a County Commissioner, as well as a volunteer firefighter. I have a hard time when I hear such stories as the one you just shared. Micro-managing is something I do not believe in. I also do not see why a "truck commissioner" is even part of this. Fire trucks and trucks are totally different animals and until the Commissioner becomes a firefighter, he is not in my opinion educated enough to make such a recomendation to anyone. Let this Commissioner know that we lose a ff every three days in this Country of ours and often times It's because of such issues of the one you just described.

I will tell you being a Commissioner is very Complex.

One time I had a Chief say to me at a State meeting - Why did you approve that variance for a 20 ft. road? He then went on to say that if there is a car parked on each side of that road, I will not be able to get my trucks thru... I said, Well, Thanks for educating me on that issue - I Did Not Know That! (The Commission did not pass the variance by the way - but it was up before us). This happened when I was probably in my first month as a ff.

Now, I am not sure if it's that way in NY, but the County I serve is 3500 sq miles and the City of Helena is only 4 sq miles.

What I would recommend to you and your ff, is that you try not to get totally _issed off with your Commissioners - but educate them, inform them, invite them to your Departments Christmas parties, invite them to a debriefing. That will take you a long way.

If you can educate them without placing blame or pointing fingers - you will go far my friend. Also, another powerful tool is too give recommedations or solutions to the problem at hand - As one elected official that carries weight. It also shows me a great employee.

The Fire Service has come along way, but has a ways too go. Just know, I am heading to DC 2/28 for a week to spend time with my fellow Commissioners, Councilmen/women, Parishes and Supervisors. I have a plan of attack and have asked Dr. Denis O'nieal to provide me with information to invite these Elected Guru's to a VIP course. Dr. Onieal has opened this course up to Elected Officials. This is one easy way to get them bit by the fire bug (LOL).

If I can help in anyway, don't hesitate to email me. I need to get ready for church, you take care.

Karolin, Lewis & Clark County Volunteer Firefighter (oh and Commissioner of County)

[email protected]




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