Magic Pumpers And Other OMP Fairy Tales

“ Magical Fire truck increases in value by $ 12 500.00 PER WEEK.

Well boys and girls wouldn't YOU like to have a truck that increases in value by $ 25,000.00 EVERY TWO WEEKS. If you would like such a truck just ask Mr. Wizard ( Paul Perrotti ) who claimed at the Selectman's meeting ( look at page four after clicking here ).that such a truck exists right there in his imagination!). If the town 

doesn't do what he says the truck will keep increasing in value until it is worth 5 million dollars!

Wow, what a truck! We think it increases in value so much because you can bake magic waffles and strawberry pancakes on the fenders of EACH WHEEL. Now, don't forget, whatever anybody else says, when you grow up, YOU should always tell the truth.  We wonder what a real Fire Chief would say.”

I guess Mr. DeAngelis never learned that important lesson.

When the local Ferrara sales representative priced the MVFD spec, the price of the engine came to $505,919.00, which was well above the American LaFrance price. This is the important part here. The National Sales Manager of Ferrara was aware of the LaFrance bid, and was also aware that the MVFD was chiefly an American LaFrance Department.  In an effort to break into Middlebury, and to increase Farrara’s presence in New England, he agreed to lower the price of the apparatus to $474,920.00.  That is a great deal of savings for the Town.   This price is good until December 1, 2008.

December 1, 2008 - The price will increase $20,000.00, for the exact same engine.

On January 1, 2009, NFPA 2009 goes into affect and there will be another price increase of $20,000.00 to $25,000.00.  

Total increase will be $40,000.00 to $45,000.00

There is nothing magical about the price or the pumper.  Just the cold, hard facts.

“Let's assume that Perrotti is actually, this time telling the truth and that $300,000 in town funds have been set aside.”

Actually, at the Town Meeting, Finance Chairman John Dayton said that there was $350,000.00 available for purchasing the apparatus right now.  With another $75,000.00 being allocated for apparatus replacement next year, the total amount would come to $425,000.00 available, which would leave only $50,000.00 that would have to be paid on the pumper.  Mr. Dayton said that this could be done in such a way as to have no effect on taxes.

“And besides isn't it true that Perrotti could have bought a truck in 2002 but  he was more interested in playing town politics rather than in doing his job?”

This statement is a lie.  In 2002 Chief Perrotti enjoyed a good relationship with former First Selectman St. John.  It was not until August of 2004 when the relationship deteriorated, directly from the action of Mr. DeAngelis submitting an FOI request regarding documents in which Mr. St. John sign Ph.D. after his name.

In early 2003, the MVFD Officers and Mr. St. John sat down at a meeting and spoke about replacing Engine 2, refurbishing or replacing Engine 4 and Rescue 1. It was Mr. St. John’s idea to create a “global plan.” Mr. St. John never followed up on these meetings.  There was no money available to purchase any apparatus.  Mr. St. John told the MVFD Officers that the entire project would be paid for through a bond package.

Since Mr. DeAngelis was not at any of these meetings, he is hardly the best person to be speaking about any of this.

Mr. St. John and Mrs. Strobel continued to block apparatus replacement until Mr. St. John left office.  Mrs. Strobel appears to be continuing her attempts to block apparatus replacement and has shown on several occasions that she does not support the Fire Department.  The delay in apparatus replacement has already cost the Taxpayers around $174,000.00.  You can thank Mr. St. John and Mrs. Strobel for that.

“If a new Fire Chief were to be elected Sunday night we would direct our attorney to give the new Chief "some time" to discuss the matter by postponing Wed's hearing. This would stop Mr. Michaud or anyone else from being questioned under subpoena next Wed. Given the extra time perhaps all sides in the matter could come to a "peaceful" resolution.”

Mr. DeAngelis can’t seem to understand that there are accounts that he is NOT legally entitled to see. It would not matter who is Chief. The result would be the same. The Fire Chief does not have the authority to give any of these documents over to Mr. DeAngelis.  These funds belong to MVFD Inc., not Chief Perrotti.  It is the equivalent of saying that the President of GE has the authority to show Mr. DeAngelis financial documents.

“We would certainly co-operate with a new Chief that truly has the best interests of the town in mind.”

A disgraceful statement, but that is what we are accustom to, from Mr. DeAngelis. Chief Perrotti has always had the best interests of the Town in mind. 

Mr. DeAngelis’s crusade to prevent the purchase of the pumper is full of lies, and distortions. It is a disservice to our firefighters who volunteer their time, jeopardize their safety, and inconvenience their families, in the name of helping those in this community.  It is also doing a disservice to the community, whose very safety depends on fire apparatus working properly when it is needed the most.