Mr. DeAngelis Gets It Wrong About The Fire Commission

“How can Gormley and Desmariais abolish Fire Commission when said Commission was established by legislative action, i.e.,a town meeting? “

Mr. DeAngelis has a very short memory. Elaine Strobel and Ed St. John established a Temporary Fire Commission at a Selectmen’s meeting, not a Town Meeting. There was no vote from the residents, only from Mrs. Strobel and Mr. St. John.  The late Hal Lynch (see http://www.middleburyfire.org/hal.htm) was not in attendance.  Mr. DeAngelis even attended the meeting, and at that time, was supporting the MVFD. What made Mr. DeAngelis turn from being Mr. St. John’s  biggest adversary to his chief spokesman?

Watch the whole thing happen.  Click on the video link.  Nothing illustrates the arrogance of the previous administration quite like this.  It speaks for itself.

  http://www.middleburyfire.org/meeting1.mov

Temporary commissions can be created at any time by the Selectmen.  They can also be abolished at anytime as well.  Permanent commissions need a charter change.

During the Charter Revision process the MVFD urged Mr. St. John and Elaine Strobel to separate the question regarding the formation of a permanent Fire Commission

be placed on the ballot.  Elaine Strobel was quoted saying splitting the ballot was “too complicated” for our residents.  Mr. St. John agreed, even though Chief Perrotti had accumulated almost 200 signatures from residents who wanted it listed as a separate question.  See http://middleburyfire.org/petition.pdf.   Consequently, many good things that could have been implemented in the Charter were not.

The Charter containing a permanent Fire Commission was defeated by almost a two to one margin in November of 2007. Tom Gormley and Bob Desmarais abolished the Fire Commission and fulfilled the wishes of the voters who flatly rejected it.

The establishment of the Fire Commission was an act of arrogance and was politically motivated.  In the eyes of the MVFD, they accomplished nothing, but stalled much needed apparatus replacement that will now cost taxpayers thousands of dollars, attempted to interfere with the fireground chain of command, attempted to stonewall repairs on lifesaving equipment, and attempted to interfere with the operational side of the MVFD.  Allowing untrained, uninformed, and politically motivated individuals to interfere with any of the above is a threat to firefighter and public safety.