Please Help:
I think that everyone in Worcester County should have the ability to read this letter. I am appalled with the behavior of the Berlin Fire Company and this type of behavior should not be tolerated! Is there anything you can do to help pass this along?
35 comments:
Seems pretty appropriate to me. The recent personnel issues within the Fire Company shouldn't have an effect on funding. If there were transgressions then those people can be held financially and criminally responsible by the courts. The city has a decision to make and it appears the Fire Company has made them aware of the decision. They can either fund the Volunteer Fire Company reasonably or they can part ways and Fund there own, albeit much more expensive, paid Fire Company. However, expecting these people to continue to volunteer, put their lives on the line, and save the town taxpayers a significant amount of money all while not contributing any funding in return is ridiculous. If Berlin doesn't want to fund them then they should part ways and create a new paid Fire Company.
OMG! Now they want to threaten to stop providing the service. Cut the loss, let them take their toys and discrimination and leave!
Fitzeragld Brown & Holloway, short of Trimble, there's your problem! Folks do a search on SBY NEWS on last weeks article, or better JOE, provide a link in this article, then truth is there, just look for it.
UNBELIEVABLE! Make the BFC appointment responsible leaders, it's now obvious the Mayor was right! Otherwise let them close their doors. What happens to the fund drive, fund raising? HUH?, that handouts have spoiled them!
so, according to John Stern, a private accountant, the town should pay up?? That is the crux of this argument?
Maybe the actions of a few members of the fire company were appalling but to punish the whole fire company and the town residents by withholding funding is what is really truly appalling!
Not only is it appalling but it's immature and shows a lack of leadership on the town for not being able to come up with a common sense solution.
Yes, the Fire Companies accountant! Good Lord do these folks we are as dense as them.
The Town was simply withholding funds to avoid liability of an organization until such time as the Company took corrective action, WHICH THEY DIDN'T! Do you research, the Town of Berlin said change the leadership, and we will work with you, as long as the ones that caused the issue, and continued to break the law were there, the Town had to distance themselves. 9 months later, MANY members allowed the continued violations to continue, check the entire case, you will change your mind.
11:38 This must be a berlin member. The members of the entire department elected these people, therefore the entire department is responsible. How about the two dozen members on scene in December that refused to help. How about the serious decline in help whenever Tyndal was working, who did the members hurt? How about the current members to send a letter they would stop service to the residents that support them, and serve just the county? Again, majority vote, therefore all the members!
just raise up the taxes to the residents to pay for a paid ambulance and fire crew
this resolves it all...DONE!!
Gee Williams called this last summer. His position was the town of berlin did not want to support an organization that breaks the law. Looks like he was right. Great job Gee, now everyone knows why you got re-elected even after the underhanded effort by the fire company.
12:13 - I definitely won't change my mind. Like I said before the actions that were taking place should have absolutely no impact on funding. Once again, bottom line, the Town needs to decide if they want to fund the current Fire Company so that they can provide services that the town needs or if they are going to fund their own Department. It really is that simple. Because of the things that were happening in the Fire Company I actually wouldn't be surprised or fault the Town for deciding to part ways but then it is on them to fund a new department to provide essential services to the Town. Unfortunately it is a bad situation that will only get worse however I think you will see the same people crying about their taxes increasing after they've been supporting not funding the fire company. Can't have your cake and eat it too.....
So what happens to the berlin town residents that gives money through donations, or attends a fundraiser? Guess we get screwed huh? Shows the character of the department! This is pitiful.
12:45 I don't want my cake and eat it to, I want what's right for the residents, a fire department that acts like they should, and be funded accordingly, that won't bring an 8,000,000 lawsuit on the town, and never refuses to help a patient because of internal hatred between members. Is that unreasonable?
12:32 - How can you blame the entire membership but then not be supportive of their decision to leave? It seems to me that is exactly what you want. You blame them all so let them go if they want to. Don't whine though when the town's taxes are increased to fund a department which would dwarf any other current town department in salary and expenses.
I would like to see the names of all the members who were on the scene of the accident
1:14 Are you stupid or something? My position is the entire department should be held accountable, not that they should leave. They made their bed, and are letting every single homeowner in the town limits down after all we have done for them. I have personally spoken to the Mayor, and support his position, return their funding when and if they act responsible, otherwise look elsewhere. Bunch of cry babies that would never stand up like real men, watch, they will send their wives and moles to fight their battles once again.
Lets see what MIEMSS has to say about a department refusing service. MIEMSS investigated the December call, and was not happy. Maybe this will be enough to take serious action, it surely is deserved. We don't need these childish differences affecting our town. Call 410-706-0470
1:46 - How do you hold the entire department "accountable"? What should be their punishment?
1:46 Cut their funding just like the town has done. Would you fund an organization that breaks the law? Tell them to find new, honorable leadership. What part of that is so complicated? Start by dismissing Trimble and Simpson, and demand replacement of the President and Trustee that signed the letter, How's that for a start.
1:58 - LOL, They aren't refusing service, they are saying if they aren't going to be funded by the town then they won't be providing services to the town. Bottom line is they are all VOLUNTEERS! Call MIEMSS and see what the procedures are for forcing citizens who volunteer at their local fire department to continue volunteering. I find it hysterical that everyone wants to complain and call state agencies and "take serious action" against these people but then as soon as these volunteers say, "we'll leave if you want us to" everyone cries foul. Let them leave, then enjoy paying to replace them.
Would anyone here expect the Police Department to continue responding to calls and patrolling if the town wasn't willing to fund them?
Maybe the town could cut their pay to try and force them to provide services, oh wait they DON'T GET PAID, THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS.
Here's an idea. Berlin has approximately 4500 residents. The fire company's website says they have 50 active members. Simple math tells us that if just 1.1% of the town's population volunteered for the fire company you could hold a majority and vote every single person you didn't like out of there. The only problem is that would require you to get off your lazy butt and give back to your community instead of trashing it on the internet, probably not going to happen...
Expand showell ocean city Newark and ocean pines terriorty. The citizens of berlin own some of that equipment sitting on Main Street our tax dollars have been funding them at a tune of $600000 for a long time. Close the doors take our equipment or lease some equipment....ambulance service makes advertised 2 million a year. Sounds like our taxes will go down. Jeff stood up for Zack, what about the others...to scared. To crooked. To much of a coward. So every time you get made at someone you refuse to help them on a scene. That is really playing with fire. The whole department is responsible for sitting back and doing nothing. The members should have done the right thing and this may never have gone this far. Sounds like Tyndall history is long with the fire service. Must have been a hard thing
3:41 - lmfao, you seriously think $600k is more than it costs to fund a paid fire department for a year? you're in for a hell of a shock come tax season...
3:41 hahaha, you want to expand everyone else's territory so that we can all share the bill because you want to boot out your own volunteer fire company? give me a break
That is one ugly logo on that letter head.
Simpson used to be a paid fireman in Salisbury. See the connection.
Anonymous said...
Would anyone here expect the Police Department to continue responding to calls and patrolling if the town wasn't willing to fund them?
Maybe the town could cut their pay to try and force them to provide services, oh wait they DON'T GET PAID, THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS.
Here's an idea. Berlin has approximately 4500 residents. The fire company's website says they have 50 active members. Simple math tells us that if just 1.1% of the town's population volunteered for the fire company you could hold a majority and vote every single person you didn't like out of there. The only problem is that would require you to get off your lazy butt and give back to your community instead of trashing it on the internet, probably not going to happen...
September 5, 2013 at 2:31 PM
The bottom line is you are a member of a piss poor fire company. You obviously aren't a champion for change. You just want to entitlements to continue to be handed over to you. Less work you would have to do to raise funding and less time you would get thumping your chest and saying look at me. I'm a farmin and I drive big red trucks. Get off the road.
Worcester and Wicomico Counties have the same problems. EMS is ran by local good ole boy volunteer fireman. The county should take over EMS in both counties and make everyone held accountable. When are the elected officials going to wake up.
I would love to know the volunteers that comment here (or their wives Holloway) that think being a volunteer allows them to provide a sub standard service, or follow a different standard, or law. Worst part, you let us, the people of the Town you "serve" down.
It seems to me that the BFC has run their fire company in a way that put them in danger of losing 8 million dollars, and the Town has broken ties, (and liability for $8m) with a bunch of idiots.
Pretty smart move, I think.
Who would want to be in a partnership with a bunch of fools like that?
Call Showell for your next fire. BFC is out of business by their own default.
Goodbye!
Volunteer comes from the Latin "voluntas" meaning "free will" or "deliberate choice" a volunteer is someone who makes a deliberate choice freely
Volunteer fire fighter means aid/pact as a means for assisting each other with equipment and manpower.
That is something the berlin fire co stop doing when they refused to help at the accident in December and when they refused to come help Jeff and Zack. Until those above meanings are found again there can not be a fire co .
7:02 and 7:45, very well said, folks read those close. I have been a member of Berlin for over 30 years, and have nothing to do with them anymore. Brings shame and tears to many of us.
the argument that the fire company broke laws or whatever so that gives the town reason to cut funding is not only a cop out but foolish. LE agencies and PD's nationwide have accusations and suits such as this one all the time and funding is not held.
What this shows is lack of leadership by elected officials who should have better mediating skills. That's real true leadership-no if's and's or but's or excuses about it.
The fact that they weren't able to come to a resolution before withholding funds from of all things a public safety organization shows a lack of professionalism.
This country is changing and Berlin/eastern shore refuse to change with them. The area feels, the good 'ole boy system will prevail and live forever. Thank goodness it will not. That hateful system is not cost effective.
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