From Voices 10/25/08 - Jamie Cura
Board of Finance member Mike McCormack said the economic climate has changed significantly in the last two months.
"I don't think we can be looking at the bugaboo of inflation in making decisions now," he said.
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Mike McCormack is once again giving us his opinion while ignoring the facts, and once again, his opinion is incorrect when it comes to emergency services in Middlebury. A bugaboo is an imaginary object of fear. There is nothing imaginary about the following.
There will be a $20,000 price increase in the cost of the pumper, if it is not ordered before December 1, 2008. That is what the factory is telling the MVFD. The price has already been discounted from the original specification price of $505,919.00.
There was a reduction in price to $474,000.00 by the Ferrara National Sales Manager, as an attempt to increase Ferrara’s presence in New England, and to also break into the MVFD which has been traditionally an American LaFrance house. Since Mr. St. John and Mrs. Strobel ignored the replacement of fire apparatus since 2003, there are several pieces of apparatus that will need to be replaced soon. Ferrara understands that, and has lowered the price to get their foot in the door.
Making matters even worse, and further discounting Mr. McCormack’s assessment of the state of fire apparatus pricing in the United States, NFPA 2009 will go into effect on January 1, 2009. Changes in NFPA will add another $20,000.00 to $25,000.00 to the cost - on top of the $20,000.00 December 1st increase. This increase in price cannot be changed since it is mandated by the NFPA. That is a $40,000.00 to $45,000.00 increase all for the same pumper.
The notion that the cost of fire apparatus will go down is not realistic. Chief Perrotti was quoted by Voices saying that the cost of apparatus in 2002 was $300,000. Only 6 years later it has increased by $174,000. That’s $174,000 Mr. St. John and Mrs. Strobel could have saved us, if they had acted when asked by the Fire Department.
“Selectman Elaine M.R. Strobel suggested having a referendum as opposed to a town meeting. She cited a list of four reasons why she feels a referendum is more suitable than a town meeting, with the first reason being that the town population is too large to get an accurate measure of residents' wishes.”
Is Mrs. Strobel continuing playing politics with public safety by pushing for a referendum that could possibly delay this important purchase and thus costing taxpayers as much as $45,000.00 if it was ordered today? Why has she not publicly supported the MVFD and their effort to purchase this lifesaving equipment?
Her statement that the Town’s population is too large to accurately measure the resident’s wishes in a Town Meeting, seems hypocritical. During the St. John administration was there ever a referendum to decide on the purchase of fire apparatus?
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20 comments:
Listen Paul, WE CAN'T AFFORD IT THIS YEAR !
Jodi Rell is cutting state budget by 10% next year !!!
Towns AND THE STATE don't have money coming in !
STOP SPENDING !
Have your fund raisers and buy whatever you want.
"Listen Paul, WE CAN'T AFFORD IT THIS YEAR !
Jodi Rell is cutting state budget by 10% next year !!!
Towns AND THE STATE don't have money coming in !
STOP SPENDING !"
Penny-wise, pound-foolish. I guess that the price of fire apparatus will be going down in the next couple of years. Thanks to both of the previous posters, and Mike McCormack, for this insight. It's already been stated that the price will go up 45,000 total if the truck isn't ordered before the 1st of the year. That is NOT a scare tactic, it's fact. Anyone who believes the price of fire apparatus will go down need only look at the price history of these vehicles over the last 10 years. Just 5 years agao, a department in a town to our north bought a nearly identical vehicle from a national manufacturer. The price paid was 265,000. So, the price has basically gone up 100% in 5 years. Having said that, It's my humble opinion that we should wait at least two more years to replace anything at the MVFD. I'm all for paying at least 80,000 more in 2 years, and then being that far behind on replacement. That is about as sound a financial plan as any I have ever seen.
oh please........"if you don't buy this car today, someone else will buy it tomorrow".....yea right, there is a line waiting to buy it.
wake up, its a tactic the salesman use.
why don't you find out how many towns cancelled and delayed their orders for fire trucks ? because there is no money.
Next year we can probably pick one for good price that wasn't bought by someone else. All basically designed same way.
(Next you probably tells us the fires in Middlebury are different and so our trucks are one of a kind)
You guy are a riot. You'll spend 1.6 million to buy Fenn's crappy farm but you can't scape up 125 grand for a fire truck...
Yep so let something happen to the firemen while on a call, and than see how much money the town we owe me when I sue!!!!!!! Don't you get it, it's a saftey issue!! As much as you keep wanting to pin everything on Paul, it's the Fire Department not just Paul because he's the chief.
"why don't you find out how many towns cancelled and delayed their orders for fire trucks ? because there is no money.
Next year we can probably pick one for good price that wasn't bought by someone else. All basically designed same way.
(Next you probably tells us the fires in Middlebury are different and so our trucks are one of a kind)"
Typical of the uninformed.........Fire trucks are almost never built on speculation, the way that automobiles are built. Part of the reason they are as expensive as they are is that they are custom-built to the specification the town/city requests them to be. Some manufacturers build demo trucks, which are later sold. These vehicles are almost always built to demonstrate some new technique the manufacturer is using, as opposed to being actually useful. Even though FDNY buys large numbers of similar pumpers each year, they are built specifically to FDNY's standards. There is no mass-production of fire apparatus, which explains why many manufacturers have financial issues. If you only knew......If a town/city cancels an order, first they would have to find a way out of the contract they sign. If, and only if, they were able to get out, the truck is almost always dismantled, and parts are used on other projects. This is an unusual business, which is why there are so few manufacturers and very limited competition. As I have said in other posts, get the FACTS!!!!
And as for this post: "oh please........"if you don't buy this car today, someone else will buy it tomorrow".....yea right, there is a line waiting to buy it.
wake up, its a tactic the salesman use.", When was the last time you bought a fire truck? Take a ride up to Gowans & Knight in Watertown, and ask Craig Palmer how many trucks he has just sitting around, with a big line waiting to buy them........Fire Apparatus salesmen don't need to use those tactics because thy have a captive audience. There is no big lot filled with fire tucks that you can go and look at, and buy one off the lot.......
You can sue all you want, the town has insurance.
and besides read the CT Law, you assume part risk by being a VOLUNTEER ! You don't get paid for this.
Mike McCormick is doing exactly what he is elected to do.
Question ALL SPENDING in TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES.
Good job Mike. Stop spending !
Good job, Mike. You just spent 35 grand on a pick-up truck that the town dosen't need. And by the way, it took you three years to get the job done. You should have waited another year or so for the 'bugaboo' of inflation to subside. I bet next year they'll be giving them away. I guess that's one of the perks of being able to approve your own budget...
Oh yes, Mike McCormick is doing a great job. As what? As a member of the Board of Finance or CHAIRMEN of the Public Works Commission? It must be the Public Works Commission since he supported buying a $45,000 pick-up truck and spending $400,000 to rebuild the Long Meadow Pond bridge at the last Board of Finance meeting and the last Board of Selectmen's meeting. Great job Mike keep up the good work! Could there be a possible "conflict of interest" issue here! May be this should also be investigated.
Conflict of Interest !!!!
Tom G and Demaris are firemen !
Yes, Tom Gormley and Bob Desmarais are firemen. Yet still, they had to wait and wait since 2002 while Doctor Edward B. St. John and his "loaded" boards and town meetings held up the purchase of fire equipment that was on the replacement plan.
Yet Mike was able to buy his truck at top dollar (they're giving them away at local dealers) and Eddie had plenty of money to put gold pin striping on his fleet of cluster-housing construction trucks.
Tom is selling those trucks as fast as he can, but in this market they're worth next to nothing.
Thanks a lot Ed! Thanks a lot Mike! Thanks a lot Elaine! Thanks a lot Ken!
Too bad Tom. Too bad Bob. You've been screwed yet again. Deangelis talks about K-Y Jelly. It's for YOU!!! Bend over.
"You can sue all you want, the town has insurance.
and besides read the CT Law, you assume part risk by being a VOLUNTEER ! You don't get paid for this."
Read those laws with just a little more care, my friend...........When a volunteer firefighter is responding to a call, he is considered a de-facto town employee. Otherwise, he/she could not be covered under Workers Comp. Also, consider this.....A successful lawsuit always brings about higher premiums, which translates to increased tax dollars. I have yet to hear of an insurance company that doesn't raise rates after claims are made. Is it fiscally prudent to increase the Town's risk for liability? I understand that times are tough, but how much longer do we wait? Is it worth someone's home, or someone's life?
Gee may be the fire dept should recruit Mike McCormack. Than may be the fire dept pumper could be added to Mike's Xmas list such as the Public Works $45,000 toy pick-up truck and the Public Works $400,000 Long Meadow Pond "Brooklyn Bridge" Project. It appears that Doctor Ed taught you well. Keep up the "Good Work" Mike!
Pat has sunken to a new level. He has nothing to talk about except the threat that he is going to sue you indvidually. Thats gay and childish. Do me a favor and either leave town or stay in the White Ave (Ghetto). As for Mike, when his term is up do you really think the democrats are going to put him up for election.......I don't think so. That is one piece of the St John Cartel that will take care of itself.
Finally I want tell everyone how much of a pussy Pat D is. He sits around a Computer and stabs everyone in the back. He bitches about town meetings that his new found friend the doctor used all the time. Pat you won't show to the town meeting to voice your opinion. There will be a police presents there.
`How do you get off saying that everyone in this town is a dumbass. YOUR A FIRED EX LIBRARIAN. SOMEONE WITH A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION COULD GET THAT JOB.
Hey Matt!
Hey Jaimie!
Hey Marj!
Let's do a little investigative reporting on the librarian who took "early retirement" and now sits around throwing feces on those who are actually doing something for Middlebury.
You can play his game. An FOI here, a look through the files there. Might be fun to play Jimmy Olsen or Lois Lane for a change.
Exactly what is driving this curmudgeon?
Hey Matt!
Hey Jaimie!
Hey Marj!
Why don't you ask Doctor / Engineer / Savior Edward B. St. John exactly what he has done in the last year to actually help Middlebury.
Tell him that sniping Gormley and FOI'ing Perrotti does not qualify as help.
Push him for a straight answer. And don't let him talk in the third person. I think we've all had enough of that affectation.
Straight talk, or no talk at all.
Hey Matt O'Rourke!
I read your article today. You did a really great job in promoting the credibility of Pat Deangelis in the lead paragraph. I had to read a lot further to find information on the town meeting. I suppose it was more important to get Pattie's name right than to tell townspeople about the meeting.
Is this your definition of "in depth" reporting?
Now I see why Deangelis wise cracks that your paper is "our subsidiary journal , the Republican American" He's right. Your paper is his lap dog.
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