MVFD Propaganda For Protecting Public Safety

  "Check out paragraph two of the Fire Dept charter/by-laws.  The Middlebury Firehouse prohibits the "disseminating of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislations..."

Now, did Mr. Perrotti ever attempt to "influence legislation?"

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Mr. DeAngelis gets it wrong again. Keyword, “substantial.”  The MVFD had approximately 800 and some calls in 2007, 14 or so meetings, 5 or so days of fund raising, and 1 day to come out and protect the Town of Middlebury from Mr. St. John’s Fire Commission.  I would not call that substantial.

Another keyword, “legislations.”  Definition, “the act of making or enacting a law.”  Laws are created by congress, not by First Selectmen.  The MVFD did not lobby congressmen, they stood in the pouring rain for one day to protect the residents of Middlebury.

In addition, the MVFD as a group was not supporting any candidate during the election.

It would seem that Mr. St. John just can’t get over the fact that the Charter change to include his permanent Fire Commission failed by almost a two to one ratio, and appears to be using Mr. DeAngelis to continue his attacks on the MVFD to this day.

 
The charter change would have allowed the Fire Commission to choose their own chief, and ignore the election of chief by the actual firefighters, a tradition since 1941.  In reality, the Fire Commission could have chosen a chief who was not even a firefighter. That was never in the original draft of the Charter, but something Mr. St. John added later, and the Charter Commission approved.  Mr. St. John wanted to control who was chief of the MVFD and most notably, it gave him an avenue to get rid of Chief Perrotti.

The Middlebury residents overwhelmingly support the MVFD, and they showed that by voting down the charter.  It is not the politicians who will be at their house at 3 AM, but the members of this great organization. The MVFD is the best run organization in Town, and should be allowed to function independently from the whims of politicians.

The MVFD believes that the Fire Commission was a direct threat to firefighter as well as public safety.  It was not formed to help the MVFD, but rather to hurt it.  During it’s tenure, it stonewalled apparatus replacement, attempted to disrupt the fireground chain of command, and attempted to delay repairs of lifesaving equipment.  

The members of the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department were not going to stand idly by while Mr. St. John tried to drive their 67 year old organization into the ground, all for the sake of his own political vindictiveness.