More Bah Humbug From The Pit

“Corruption Brewing?

                       

 Gormley denies conflict as town officials, in effect,write themselves checks.   

Dear Selectman Gormley,

I hereby disclose and claim that a conflict of interest exists among yourself , Mr. Desmarais and Mr. Paul Perrotti in the signing and approving of checks that cover your own disbursements or those in those relationships prohibited in theCharter . Please investigate this matter.

DeAngelis

Actually, Tom , it is not a "statement"  per se, it is an accusation 

of wrongdoing that I'm asking you to investigate.”

Corruption is not brewing, but stupidity certainly is, and all of it seems to be coming from the “Pit.”

Mr. DeAngelis continues to appear to be accusing Tom Gormley and Bob Desmarais of corruption, when of course none exists. Mr. DeAngelis seems to have little understanding how Town government works and how funds are paid out. Instead of learning the facts, he suggests that the Selectmen are doing something inappropriate and he also encourages local reporters to join him at tilting at windmills. They are not taking the bait.

Since it is the role of the Selectmen to sign all checks derived from Town funds, would it not be a conflict of interest to sign their own paychecks?  Apparently it would to Mr. DeAngelis. It is simply idiotic. 

But, the truth is that Mr. DeAngelis does not really believe there is corruption here.  That is why he puts a question mark after all of the inane statements.  These statements are made as an attempt to make Tom Gormley and Bob Desmarais look bad, and at the same time take the story off Mr. St. John.

“Tom, isn't it time you stopped with the girlie, Obama thing of blaming all your screw ups on the previous administration? Be a man,Tom and face your responsibilities. Stop taking "it's his fault, wah-wah" lessons from Perrotti. Be a man not a half-selectman.”

I don’t believe Tom was being girlie when he pointed out that Ed St. John, and Tom Proulx collected fire pay from the checks they signed when they were Selectmen.  I think the intent was to show that this is certainly nothing new. Mr. DeAngelis believes that all Middlebury history started on the First week of December in 2007.

“Actually the article decried the lack of para medics. Why don't we just let Campion come to Middlebury with their para medics. Why duplicate the service when we don't have para medics? If you are going to quote the newspaper, be accurate.”

Perhaps if you are going to comment on the article you should consider some sort of accuracy yourself. Read the article again.  The article talks about how there is a lack of EMT-B volunteers, not paramedics. By the way Mr. DeAngelis, paramedics is not spelled para medics.

If Mr. DeAngelis had understood the fairly straight-forward article, he would have realized that the MVFD actually saves the taxpayers at least $350,000 per year in ambulance services. There is no duplication of services.  The MVFD pays $80,000 each year for paramedic services, and not one dime of that comes from taxpayer money.  It all comes from ambulance billing.  Conversely, if the MVFD were to drop the ambulance billing, the residents would be responsible for a whopping Campion paramedic bill, and Campion would not be forgiving if your insurance company did not pick up the tab.  

It is in the best interests of the taxpayers to have FD 11 roll to every call. There is no denying that. If FD 11 does not roll, and you need a paramedic, you will be stuck with the entire paramedic bill, instead of the MVFD picking up the tab.  That is why the MVFD needs residents to dedicate their time and volunteer for the ambulance.

However, when there is an ambulance call, the Middlebury Taxpayer is not the MVFD’s number one priority. At that point, the patient is more important. That is why 85% of the members voted to purchase the First Responder vehicle with non-taxpayer money.  The First Responder vehicle will help to ensure that there will be a trained EMT or MRT at the scene to assist our police officers if FD 11 cannot scramble a crew. PATIENT CARE IS THEIR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY.

 “b.   Secondly if there was a competent, respected Fire Chief in 

Middlebury I doubt you would have any problem recruiting 

volunteers for the dept.  Given the authority I will address that

problem quickly.

c.    I would immediately stop using junk cars with untrained "fly" 

operators and in doing so would stop embarrassing the citizens of 

the town and would attract more volunteers.

The MVFD Chief with the possible exception of Rich Nicol is the highest trained Chief who ever held the position, and the highest trained firefighter in the organization.  He is more than competent to serve as Chief.  The constant attacks simply illustrate the ignorance of the attacker. Again, Mr. DeAngelis did not read the article very well.  The shortage of EMTs is a nation-wide problem and certainly not restricted to Middlebury.  In fact, the MVFD should be commended in that they are trying to find ways of mediating the problem with the least impact on our taxpayers.  The MVFD purchased the First Responder vehicle with their own money and will be purchasing a municipal license plate with their own money.  This will cost the Department $400.00 per year.  By purchasing the plate, the First Responder Vehicle will come under the Town's municipal insurance policy. The only cost to the Town will be FUEL.  This is a small price to pay for attempting to improve patient care.

“Really, Tom? What about:

      on July 6, 2008 Bob Desmarais received $ 2402.71, M. Dayton,

$ 1,018.17, on July 6,2008 Paul Perrotti got 2476.00 above his

$ 7500.00 stipend, above his free car and free gas and on and on.

Where is the "volunteer" in the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Dept?

Tom, you don't get it. Even President Bush rescinded a pardon 

because of the "appearance of impropriety". You cannot allow 

yourself and others to sign checks that put money in your pocket or 

in the pockets of family members. It is really very simple to 

understand. Isn't it?”

It is simple to understand, but apparently not simple enough for Mr. DeAngelis.  There is no impropriety at all. Here is how it works.  Bob Desmarais would not receive a single dime if he did not attend fire calls.  Neither would Mike Dayton, nor Paul Perrotti. There is a very small group of really active Middlebury Firefighters.  My records show that there are only four members of the Department that make over 50% of the calls.  Both Paul Perrotti and Bob Desmarais are included in that 4.  Mike Dayton is close behind and is an extremely dedicated young member.  You didn’t mention Jon Vaughan who comes in at number 3 with 63% of the calls.  What about me?  I am fleecing the Town responding to over 70% and coming in at #2.  How can that be allowed?

Fire pay is earned Mr. DeAngelis.  I doubt seriously many people would run into a burning building for $6.00. The argument is stupid.  Mr. DeAngelis knows it stupid, and he embarrasses himself running with the torch of Mr. St. John, attempting to invent a controversy and create a sense of chaos where none exists.

“By remaining an active member of the Fire Dept or any town agency, takinng an active part and accepting money restricts elected officials in  their ability to serve the citizens at large. For example, if there is an issue regarding payment for MVFD expenses from Town funds, vs. MVFD funds, a vote to spend Town funds benefits the members of the MVFD at the expense of all the citizens of Middlebury."

More bull.  Any funds that are paid from Town funds to the MVFD or its members is for the expressed intend to benefit the entire community. No one at the MVFD is getting rich by volunteering their time and jeopardizing their lives.  In fact, we all loose lots of money by doing so.  $6.00 per call (not per hour)  is no way to get rich.  It helps buy a few Christmas presents in December. Thats about it.

 “Half Chief tries to stop delivery delivery of Christmas Carols to Middlebury homes.”

Mr. DeAngelis again tries to act like he has an understanding of the MVFD, when he clearly illustrates that no understanding exists.

Christmas Rounds by the MVFD is not a caroling event, and if you have ever heard us sing, you would certainly understand why. The MVFD members are not visiting shut-ins and lonely people to spread the Christmas cheer.  They are visiting each other’s homes and creating their own cheer. Thats it.

“Content on OMP, aside from the occasional truth and fact, is mostly fictional. Depictions of public figures are for satirical and humor value only and are not intended to slander or insult. Our aim is to amuse and poke fun, not publish libel. Any and all other figures featured on our site, aside from public figures, are fictional characters. Any likeness or similarity that they may have to persons living or dead is coincidence”

There is nothing true about anything written on the Pit.  It is fictitious, but not for satirical or humorous reasons. It’s only intent is to try to hurt good and honest people who dedicate their time trying to make Middlebury a better place to live.  It ridicules those who do the most for this community and libels them at every opportunity.  It serves no positive purpose, yet seeks to create an atmosphere of distrust and chaos.

There is nothing amusing about hurting other people’s feelings, and ridiculing those who have spent years protecting the residents. Mr. DeAngelis talks about the Christmas holiday.  (By the way Mr. DeAngelis, it WAS the Romans who killed Jesus you know.) He talks about Christianity. I just find this hypocritical for someone who appears to spend a good part of his time maligning the good deeds of others. As someone on this blog has, already suggested, that would be the task for his Priest to undertake.  If not, what Mr. DeAngelis really needs is a visit from Jacob Marley’s ghost. Merry Christmas. The Christmas truce did not last until the 12th night, but who would have thought it would?

A Message From Newspaper Reader

Mr. Taxpayer was not clear enough in his post below, so let me clarify:

The legal bills presented by Savarese involved matters pertaining to Deangelis!

You read it right, folks. Deangelis is burning up the town's money and patience by being the subject of frequent legal meetings and discussions. In addition, if you read those bills closely, you'll see that he is also wasting the time of Claudia Tata (Selectman's Office Administrator) and Edith Salisbury (Town Clerk). We are talking of many hours per month of harassment. Look at those bills!

Exactly how much "truth" has he exposed with all those FOI's and private meetings?

Nothing! Nada!

All he knows is juvenile taunting and lies. "Brainless" "Dumb Ass" "Half Chief" "Boneheads"

A Message From Taxpayer

Deangelis Harassment Wastes Endless Town Hall Time and Money

Pattie publishes page after page of legal fees paid by Middlebury taxpayers like me. What for? To amuse himself at my expense. Countless hours of Tom Gormley's time is wasted. Barbara Whitaker's time is wasted. Steve Savarese's time ($$$) is wasted.

This time and money could have been spent on something useful. Pattie proves with those legal fees that he harassed Gormley from day one. Distracting the new First Selectman from learning his job.

Pattie has the nerve to say in his writings that he was helping Tom. Remember this whopper: ""We all tried to help him because his new, young administration needed help."

That wasn't help. That was sabotage. That was intentionally distracting Tom from his job, day after day. The bills prove it and Pattie is proud of it.

Wake up Middlebury! Wake Up!

This guy is screwing you! He's screwing me! He's screwing the entire town!!!

And he is proud of it. The Bas#@?d.

Freedom Of Speech Alive And Well At The MVFD

“As a town department, fire dept meetings are open to the public. We tape all fire dept meetings. At the last one members openly challenged the half chief and some refused to approve his latest actions including a divisive , petty, badly written letter the Half Chief sent to the dept. criticizing other members.”

This shows how little Mr. DeAngelis knows about what is going on at the MVFD. People standing up at MVFD meetings and saying their piece is nothing new.  They have been doing that for as long as I can remember.  That is one purpose of the meeting. It is the correct forum, and giving your opinion is encouraged.

I guess Mr. DeAngelis thinks that when you get a room full of 30 to 60 Alpha Males all together, they are all going to hold hands and sing Kumbaya.  That does not happen. Everyone has an opinion.  Matters are openly discussed and then voted on.  The majority rules. That is how it works.  That is how it is suppose to work, and guess what?  It does work!

I think the MVFD meetings are much more tame than they have been under other chiefs.  Members can disagree with each other, but I can guarantee that on the fireground all that goes away.  We work together as a cohesive team to get the job done quickly and correctly.  That is the tradition of this great Department.

There is another tradition in the MVFD and has been a tradition since 1941. What happens at the meeting stays within the walls of the MVFD.

A Tempest In A Teapot

“Signing and approving of checks that cover their own disbursements from the Fire Dept. and other accounts are clearly direct financial interest. How is this allowed to continue and where are the two local newspapers on this issue?”

Mr. DeAngelis is so far off base on this one it is absolutely absurd.  This is an example of Rule 2 and the newly added Rule 8 of the Formula Of Hate.

Rule # 2         Create an artificial controversy.

Rule # 8 Infer that Tom Gormley and Bob Desmarais are filling their pockets with money off the backs of the taxpayers, in a sneaky underhanded way that violates the charter.

Mr. DeAngelis ignores the checks and balances within the system.  I.E.  The BOS does not write these checks, they simply sign them.  Their salaries are set.  They are paid with checks written by employees of the Finance Office.  They do not fill in these amounts, but simply sign the checks. This includes their own pay checks.  

This also holds true for MVFD incentive Pay and Fire Pay. The MVFD gets one big check from the Town, and then the MVFD Treasurer writes checks based on what each firefighter has earned.  Tom Gormley and Bob Desmarais do not dictate how much money they receive from these funds.  To say this is somehow a conflict of interest is absurd.

The whole argument is just so silly, its hardly worth talking about.  No wonder no newspaper has picked up on the story.  The reason? ... There is no story. It is a tempest in a teapot.

Repackaging Old News

“Half Chief must hand over 120 documents while his treasurer, Michaud,  faces subpoena.”

Nothing new here. The same old story being retold. Mr. DeAngelis was so concern as to what is written in the MVFD’s checkbooks, he failed to bring his own on the two occasions he showed up to Fire HQ to examine records that he was legally entitled to see.  

Now, he is finally mustering up the $70.00, the cost of copying these documents, as outline by FOI law. This is not exactly earth-shattering news.  Mr. DeAngelis could have had these documents weeks ago, if he had just brought his checkbook with him.

Mr. Michaud is the MVFD Treasurer. Several weeks ago he made himself available at Fire HG for a full day.  Mr. Michaud was to let Mr. DeAngelis see any MVFD document he was entitled to see by law.  Why is it that Mr. DeAngelis only spent about an hour looking at records, when he had the entire day? He was also given a second opportunity to examine MVFD documents several weeks later. He did the same thing; stayed for about 1 hour and left.

Now he talks about subpoena? This is a clear example of Rule #7 in Mr. DeAngelis’s Formula Of Hate - Infer that the MVFD is hiding something, or doing something illegal. Mr. DeAngelis was provided a door of opportunity, and he slam the door on himself.  At what point will FOI look at his actions as nothing more than harassment? 

The Ethics Of Check Writing

          “ Is it ethical for Gormley and Desmarais to sign checks as Selectman when some of the money in those checks goes to them personally?

            Well, what do YOU THINK? Look at what they are doing in light of what is going on in this country. Business as usual for the politicians, local or otherwise.”

Here we go again.  Suggesting that Tom Gormley and Bob Desmarais are doing something unethical if not illegal. 

Every check that comes out of Town Hall is signed by the Board of Selectmen. That includes the Fire Pay and Incentive Pay checks.  Those checks are then deposited in the MVFD checking account and the MVFD Treasurer writes checks based on the MVFD fire pay records, and the “Vonk Formula,” ( The Incentive Pay Formula.)

Neither Tom Gormley nor Bob Desmarais play any role in determining how the money is paid out. Tom Gormley and Bob Desmarais receive Fire Pay. Mr. DeAngelis is attempting to suggest that somehow this is unethical.  He also tries to clump them in with the stereotypical politician, which is not only untrue, but incredibly unfair.  The self-proclaimed “conscience of Middlebury” seems to be lacking one.

Mr. DeAngelis is also forgetting that Mr. St. John and Tom Proulx were also Selectmen as well as firefighters, who also signed the same checks that were delivered to Fire Headquarters during their tenure.

To answer Mr. DeAngelis’s question.  Yes it is indeed ethical to sign checks as Selectmen, when some of the money goes to them personally.  After all who would sign their paychecks?

Mr. Anonymous Talks About FOI Law

Let's look at a couple of pertinent sections of the FOI law that Pat wants to ignore..........If the commission finds that a person has taken an appeal under this subsection frivolously, without reasonable grounds and solely for the purpose of harassing the agency from which the appeal has been taken, after such person has been given an opportunity to be heard at a hearing conducted in accordance with sections 4-176e to 4-184, inclusive, the commission may, in its discretion, impose against that person a civil penalty of not less than twenty dollars nor more than one thousand dollars. The commission shall notify a person of a penalty levied against him pursuant to this subsection by written notice sent by certified or registered mail. If a person fails to pay the penalty within thirty days of receiving such notice, the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford shall, on application of the commission, issue an order requiring the person to pay the penalty imposed. Interesting food for thought. 

And here's another area that Pat doesn't talk about on "The Pit": Sec. 1-214a. Disclosure of public agency termination, suspension or separation agreement containing confidentiality provision. Any agreement entered into by any public agency, as defined in section 1-200, with an employee or personal services contractor providing for the termination, suspension or separation from employment of such employee or the termination or suspension of the provision of personal services by such contractor, as the case may be, that contains a confidentiality provision that prohibits or restricts such public agency from disclosing the existence of the agreement or the cause or causes for such termination, suspension or separation including, but not limited to, alleged or substantiated sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation or sexual assault by such employee or contractor, shall be subject to public disclosure under this chapter. (P.A. 06-132, §1.) Someone ought to look at requesting a certain former State of CT. Librarian and why he suddenly "retired".

Here's another section Pat doesn't want to read: Sec. 1-241. (Formerly Sec. 1-211). Injunctive relief from frivolous, unreasonable or harassing freedom of information appeals. A public agency, as defined in subdivision (1) of section 1-200, may bring an action to the Superior Court against any person who was denied leave by the Freedom of Information Commission to have his appeal heard by the commission under subsection (b) of section 1-206 because the commission determined and found that such appeal or the underlying request would perpetrate an injustice or would constitute an abuse of the commission’s administrative process. The action authorized under this section shall be limited to an injunction prohibiting such person from bringing any further appeal to the commission which would perpetrate an injustice or would constitute an abuse of the commission’s administrative process. If, after such an injunction is ordered, the person subject to the injunction brings a further appeal to the Freedom of Information Commission and the commission determines that such appeal would perpetrate an injustice or would constitute an abuse of the commission’s administrative process, such person shall be conclusively deemed to have violated the injunction and such agency may seek further injunctive and equitable relief, damages, attorney’s fees and costs, as the court may order. (P.A. 93-191, §2; P.A. 97-47, §14.)

The Formula Of Hate

                “Why is it, do you think, that the Half-Chief won't hand over Copies of the check register showing the check #  and amount recorded for each person receiving fire incentive pay for this time period?

                  Why is the Half-Chief willing to spend thousands of taxpayer dollars to keep this information away from the public? Is it because the "formula" for spending what was supposed to be pension money, scewered in favor of a few? Where is the audit of this money. Why does Gormley protect hiding this information? FOI will make them turn it over, but money wasted by Perrotti on lawyers is a tremendous amount.”

Mr. DeAngelis, once again, illustrates that he and his website have the uncanny ability to “get it wrong.”

1) Records of the Fire Incentive Pay for the last year are posted at Fire HQ.  They have been posted at that location since July of this year, when the Incentive Pay is distributed.

2) If Mr. DeAngelis would like to have copies of the check register showing each check number, perhaps he should have considered paying for each copy of the check register as required by FOI law.  

On two separate occasions MVFD personnel took time off  and set aside full days to  allow Mr. DeAngelis access to whatever he was legally entitled to.  On both occasions Mr. DeAngelis left Fire HQ after only about 1 hour.  He left without copies of anything, because he elected not to pay for them.  To keep singing the same old song that he has not been given access is just not accurate.

3) To say the Chief Perrotti is willing to spend thousands of taxpayer dollars to keep this information away from the public is libelous. As stated above, the information is public and is posted in a Town building. In addition, no taxpayer money has been used by the MVFD to pay any lawyer.

4) As stated before, the Incentive Pay was established to reward those who contribute the most to the organization. It was established by the members of the MVFD and former First Selectman St. John, as an alternative to a “Pension Plan.”  A pension plan was not a realistic option for the Town, because it would cost too much to seed, and was difficult to establish which veterans would be eligible and which veterans would not be eligible. The plan would prove too expensive for the Town. The Incentive Plan became a much more realistic alternative.

Scewered is not actually a word, but if Mr. DeAngelis meant skewed, he could not be further from the truth.  The “Vonk Formula” could not be more fair.  Each member of the MVFD, whether they be an Active or Veteran member, has an equal opportunity to benefit from the Incentive Pay.  All you have to do is participate. The formula is based on fire calls, years of service, drills, and meetings. The majority of the “points” come from fire calls.  That is what is important, and that is what we do.  This is not a Bridge Club. It is a Fire Department, and the primary “incentive” is to get members to show up for fire calls, and to keep them showing up for fire calls year in and year out.

People who earn the highest Incentive Pay, have done the most.  People who do not meet the minimum number of points to qualify for Incentive Pay get nothing.  

5) Mr. DeAngelis asks where the audit of the Incentive Pay is.  As stated above, the records for the Incentive Pay are posted at Fire HQ - a Town building. This is nothing new, these records have been posted at Fire HQ since the plan was initiated several years ago.  Mr. DeAngelis and all other Middlebury residents have access to these records.

6) Why does Tom Gormley protect hiding this information?  Here is the attack de jour on Tom Gormley. What would any of this have to do with Tom Gormley? Nothing! 

The above is just another example of all the distortions that come from the pit. It follows the same old tired formula.  Here is the “Formula of Hate.”

1) Post a statement that you know is not true.

2) Create an artificial controversy.

3) Create an atmosphere of chaos and the sense that events are spinning out of control. 

4) Infer that those who take the time to volunteer their time in Town are incompetent.

5) Infer that taxpayer money is being wasted.

6) Infer that the MVFD is hiding something, or doing something illegal.

7) Infer that Tom Gormley is hiding something or covering up something for the “good-old boys” at the MVFD.

This list may get bigger.

8) Infer that Tom Gormley and Bob Desmarais are filling their pockets with money off the backs of the taxpayers, in a sneaky underhanded way that violates the charter.

I guess those who believe what they read on Mr. DeAngelis’s website will be the same people who may pay him $5.00 a month to read it.

A Message From Internet Surfer

I was hoping that somebody else would respond to this thread. I'm not sure it is true that 99% of Middlebury doesn't care about this issue. It is probably more accurate to say that 99% of Middlebury is not aware of this issue.

The trouble with a high profile response directly to Pattie's attacks is that Pattie gets undeserved limelight. He'll exploit that limelight with more outrageous attacks.

This blog is a low profile "point by point" response to Pattie's attacks. Thoughtful people that are tuned in to the issue will read this blog and form an informed opinion.

Our friends "reader" and "taxpayer" are concerned about people who hear about Pattie's outrageous accusations second hand and believe the rumors. How do you counter the rumors without putting Pattie in the limelight? I don't know. Should the MVFD publish something for Joe Average Citizen? Something easily understood with a few minutes reading?

A Message From Long Term Resident

I expect that "Joe Average Citizen" is quite aware of the good works being done by the MVFD. Just this last week we had the Fire Prevention Poster Contest and the Tree Lighting and Bonfire. During the year we have had pasta dinners, Circus, Open Houses, and many other good things. The "call log" appears in the Bee every week.

Deangelis needs to blow a lot of smoke to make Joe Average Citizen think ill of the MVFD.

But he's sure trying, isn't he

A Message From Reader

Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department Puts Children in Danger

This would be the headline in OMP if Pattie wrote about the ice skating rink being built at Shepardsons.

The Sunday Republican American said " The rink's ice will be provided and maintained by the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department"

(Sorry for double posting. I don't think many people look at older threads. By the way, I counted 23 times that Pattie used the taunt "half-chief" in OMP today. Why doesn't he just write "half-chief" over and over hundreds of times, interspersed with "nyah nyah". That's intelligent. Amazing what comes from a 65 year old "masters" of whatever.)

A Message From Truth Detector

More OMP Lies and Distortions

Eddie must be very very nervous!

Pattie posted these lies and distortions today:

"Dayton and Gormley want to "write off" Washington Drive as an "uncollectable debt".

In generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), if you don't see something as being collectible, then it is noncollectable. If it were anything other than Eddie's malfeasance Pattie would not say it was collectible. Everybody knows that this so-called accounts receivable is uncollectable. Dayton and Gormley are providing accurate financial statements, not politically colored distortions.

"We all tried to help him because his new, young administration needed help."

and

"No matter how much his former supporters tried to help Tom" 

What whoppers! Tommy got no help! Not from Pattie, not from Eddie, and certainly not from the MRTC.

Biggest Whopper

Pattie uses double-talk to blame Tommy for Eddie's crime.

First this:

"Tom needs Ed to blame for his own screw ups, but it won't work because Ed St John has nothing to do with the current administration and their mistakes."

And then this:

"Blaming St. John and Strobel has the advantage of providing Gormley with a talking point even if he fails to recover 96 percent
of the money because he can claim 'victory' with a 5 percent recovery."

Not so fast Deangelis. And, by the way, the figure is $950K not $900K that St. John misappropriated. You exaggerate everything else but you try to minimize Eddie's crime. Stop the double speak. The mistakes were not made by Gormley, they were made by Eddie and Elaine. You are not denying it ("he can claim 'victory' with a 5 percent recovery.") Tommy did not misappropriate the Washington Drive money. Tommy did not build all the sewers and roads for the cluster housing and the hundreds of new Region 15 kids, Eddie and Elaine did that. They "built it" and the developers came and Eddie never got the town's approval.

Go ahead Deangelis. Blow smoke. Distort. Lie. Taunt. Whatever.

Eddie caused it. Tommy is fixing it. You are lying. That is the truth.

SEEC Complaint Letters

Former Chairman of the fire commission and Mr. DeAngelis both filed complaint letters to the SEEC against the MVFD.

It certainly is not surprising that Mr. DeAngelis wrote such a letter against the MVFD. It just comes natural to him, and he gets a bang out of filing complaints and writing letters.  However, Mr. Heidkamp is a different story.

Click Here For Complaint Letters

Mr. Heidkamp was appointed by former First Selectman St. John, as Chairman of the fire commission.  The Charter vote to make the temporary fire commission permanent was defeated in November of 2007 by a two to one margin.  A full year later Mr. Heidkamp decides, that he as a concerned Middlebury resident, should report the MVFD. He obviously did not like that the Department took measures to educate Middlebury residents as to the damage the present fire commission was doing to the Town, and the ramifications if such a politically motivated group would in fact, be made permanent.

This was not the first time Mr. Heidkamp tried to attack the MVFD.  On March 20th, 2007, while the Fire Department was training with representatives from Holmatro, the Chairman of the fire commission was drafting a 45 page document that smeared the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department and our Chief, in an effort to justify their existence to the Charter Revision Commission. 

The Chairman of the fire commission made a variety of attacks against the Department. He documented his attacks with a volume of paperwork, obviously provided to him from the former First Selectman.  He recklessly released this document to the Charter Revision Commission without ever consulting the Fire Department to see if any of his accusations were actually true, thus illustrating to us, that his interest lies with the former First Selectman rather than the Truth, the Fire Department and the community.

Click Here For Original Article And Video.

These actions illustrate that Mr. Heidkamp’s motivations were always political and that he never had the MVFD’s best interests in mind. For someone who was appointed to help the MVFD and provide oversight over the organization, he certainly showed poor judgement by writing not only a completely inaccurate complaint letter, but also a letter in which its contents only seek to damage the reputation of the MVFD and the Town the organization protects.

Where Is The Value?

“ Brevity and specificity being our goal among other matters 

please consider the following a complaint relative to my Nov 17 

FOI request made of Mr. K. Michaud, Treasurer of the Middlebury 

Fire Dept.

Specifically the following list points to the information never 

provided to me in this or any other FOI request made to the 

Middlebury Vol. Fire Dept. or of Mr. Michaud.

The following is a list the 15 items which have never been provided 

to me and which form the basis of this complaint.

For the calendar years , 2005, 2006 and 2007, I wish to inspect

1.  Copies of canceled checks for each person receiving fire 

incentive pay for each time period mentioned above,

2.Copies of the check register showing the check #  and amount 

recorded for each person receiving fire incentive pay for this time 

period,

3. Copy of the W3 transmittal form showing the amounts reported 

to the Social Security administration for the time period quoted 

above,

For July 2005 through November 2007, please provide the 

following supporting documentation:

4.  Number of fire calls submitted in the payment request to the 

Town of Middlebury,

5. Invoice showing the total fire pay requested from the Town of 

Middlebury,

6. Copies of canceled checks for each person receiving fire pay for 

this time period,

7 Copies of the check register showing the check#  and amount 

recorded for each person receiving fire pay for this time period,

8, Copy of the W3 transmittal form showing the amounts reported 

to the Social Security administration for this time period,

( For your fiscal years ending in , 2005, 2006 and 2007 please 

provide the following documentation for inspection:

9. Total revenue received related to ambulance operations.  This 

includes, but is not limited to, donations, private and insurance 

billing payments and any other ambulance revenue.

10 Any deductions for uncollectible billings,

11  Net Revenue Received

12 All expenses charged against ambulance revenue including, but 

not limited to:

o Copies of all invoices paid

o Copies of all canceled checks applied against the invoices

o Copies of all canceled checks for each person receiving payment 

for ambulance duty

o Copies of the check register showing check# and amount 

recorded for each check payment made for ambulance expenses

13. Net Income (or Loss) from ambulance operations,

14. If there are payments made to individuals for ambulance duty, 

copy of the W3 transmittal form showing the amounts reported to 

the Social Security administration for this time period.  

15. At the FOI Commission hearing it was noted that the Fire Dept 

had sent audits of its dept to the Town ( Mr. Belden ) for the past 

three years. I hereby request to inspect these audits

Thank You,

Pat de Angelis”

It seems to me the there were two occasions where the MVFD set aside full days for Mr. DeAngelis to examine any record he was entitled to see.  Yet, he elected not to take advantage of first, the MVFD Treasurer taking a full day to help him, and on the second occasion the MVFD Chief taking a day off from his work to provide information as well.

In addition, Mr. DeAngelis, according to FOI law, must pay a set amount for each copy of any document he would like.  The MVFD has yet to see his checkbook, because he can’t expect the taxpayer nor the MVFD to provide him such copies for free.

The above list illustrates more than anything that this appears to be no more than pure harassment of the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department.

If Mr. DeAngelis wanted to see more information, perhaps he should have spent more time at the MVFD to examine these documents when he had the chance, instead of leaving after an hour or so. 

Nothing productive will ever come out of any of this.  To me it is just another deterrent  for those who want to volunteer for the MVFD.  That hurts this Town. The people who do the most in this community are criticized by those who do absolutely nothing.  That will be their legacy.   A paid fire department may be their legacy as well, if those who choose to volunteer one day say, it is just not worth it.

The All Important Ambulance Agreement

“Where is ANY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MVFD AND THE TOWN? How did the half-chief commit the town to a town meeting to approve 15 grand for a grant the first selectman never even knew was being applied for?”

Thats not true.  Mr. DeAngelis has a very short memory.  It seems that Mr. St. John wrote a letter to Ron Clark on March 9, 2006 saying that he wanted to continue with the grant process.  See the link below.

http://middleburyfire.org/grant1.pdf

In addition, all this about an agreement between the Town and the MVFD is nothing more than just fluff.  The MVFD has operated for decades without such an agreement with the Town. The agreement was obvious.  All of a sudden this is all so important.  The MVFD keeps responding to calls, and the lawyers keep sending their bills.  Who is winning from all of this?

Mr. St. John tried to make political hay over insisting that the MVFD and the Town draft such an agreement.  FOI how much was spent on legal bills by Mr. St. John in his attempt to take over the MVFD ambulance and thus gain control of the ambulance billing funds.  The MVFD flatly rejected the St John agreement.

When Tom Gormley took over, he threw the St. John agreement out the window, and a new realistic agreement was drafted.  This was presented to the members of the MVFD.  To my recollection there was only one paragraph the members did not like, and it was sent back to be reworded.  It is not the MVFD dragging their feet on the agreement.

Eliminate a paragraph and bingo the Town has its all important agreement that will do little to improve patient care.

Who Want's To Be An EMT?

 “Letter from Middlebury firefighter...

I just finished reading that joke of a [ newspaper ] article about Fredo's [ Half Chief Perrotti ] request. I have an idea for a "fly" car.  Instead of "treating the symptom, treat the cause".

Instead of buying another piece of equipment that won't get out if the firehouse, like the ambulance, Paul should RESIGN!! When he's gone morale should improve and that should fix the "volunteer shortage".

Disgusted middlebury firefighter”

Once again, we have another imaginary firefighter friend of Mr., DeAngelis. Any real Middlebury Volunteer Firefighter understands what the real problem is.  There is a lack of Middlebury residents who are willing to take the time out of their lives to volunteer for the ambulance and this community.  

That is no surprise. You have to be dedicated.  You have to endure some personal sacrifices. None of us were born with fire helmets nor jump bags in our crib.  It is a personal choice that takes a lot of personal thought, before you do it.

You have to put your life in danger.  You have to put your health in jeopardy.  If you screw up, you could be personally sued. You see people at their very weakest moments.  You see suffering, you see death, and witness those who have spent a lifetime together say goodbye. Sometimes all you can do is hold their hands and attempt to provide some sort of comfort, some relief to their suffering.  You are at your best, when things around you are at their very worst.  You attempt to find order in total chaos. 

At the same time, you inconvenience your family. You miss the school play. You miss Christmas Eve. You miss that birthday party.  You have to take a 160 hour course and then re-certify 2 years later.  Who in the world wants to do that?

The idiotic statement that somehow if Paul Perrotti resigned, all these residents would be lining up in front of the firehouse to volunteer is just asinine.  

I have been with the MVFD for 20 years, and I have never met Mr. Disgusted Middlebury Firefighter.  Perhaps, if he or she was a real firefighter this person would have the guts to sign their name.

On the other hand, I know each and every person who rides FD11, and I consider them all heros.  They are Middlebury’s most precious treasure, and I have the deepest respect for what they do for all of us in this community.