The real
facts relating to the Worthington Fire Department
Check back
here often for additional information!!!
UPDATED 6-23-2009
Next Board
meeting July 15, 2009, 7pm
Brownsboro
Rd Station
NEW BOARD MEMBER TO BE WELCOMED AT THE JULY MEETING.
Thankfully
the second time’s a charm. The Board
voted to give the employees a 2% COL raise.
AMAZING
!!!
ARE
BADGES THAT IMPORTANT ?
$10,000.00
for new badges but NO Cost of Living increase (COLA) for career firefighters.
It was
announced at the April Board meeting that the Chief wants to cancel the COLA
for the career firefighters. That due to
the economy and other factors the department budget would remain flat for the
coming year. HOWEVER
it seems that there is enough money, it was reported, that new badges are a
major necessity at the cost of about $10,000.
Let’s face it. We all know that
firefighters don’t make a large salary and to not even give them a cost of
living adjustment is actually a PAY CUT.
The “economy” could be a $5 million dollar plus outrageous firehouse
that is killing the budget. What other
items in the budget could be postponed on eliminated so that firefighters could
receive the COLA?
One Board
member spoke up at the meeting trying to convince the other members that the
Department can afford the COLA. Saying
the he would understand the decision IF the department were in financial
difficulty BUT that is not the case.
ARE BADGES THAT
IMPORTANT ?
New
Louisville Fire House built for $1.9 million dollars. Check out the Courier Journal article from
Tues., Jan 6th, section B1.
The new firehouse features space for the largest department piece of
equipment plus additional apparatus. The
building is energy efficient, large kitchen, sleep four firefighters in
individual rooms and more. WHAT/WHY
is Worthington spending 3.2 million more for a two-bay station. Throwing money away and it’s OUR
MONEY.
Courier-Journal article gives insight to Worthington’s troubles
A
recent article, front page Sunday August 24, 2008, gives great insight into
problems inside the fire department. A
former dean at the University of Louisville, Robert Felner, is profiled and is
quoted saying “Some people like me, some people don’t”. You have to wonder why almost 60 firefighters
have left the department. Experienced,
qualified, knowledgeable giving people leaving and no one asks why. Apparently the Board and the Chief don’t
care. To see the similarities between
the current administration and the fallen Dean go to http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008808240524
and read the article.
WHAT IS THE CHIEF TRYING TO HIDE?
(Guest editorial, Authors name upon written request)
Usually, when people retire from a job, they are always welcome to return to visit occasionally. In the case of a firefighter, the sounds and smells are in your blood and you often return to visit your friends and your firefighter family that you spent many long days and nights and shared many emotions over the years. It is not unusual for a former firefighter to stop in at firehouses across the country just to swap stories and keep the brotherhood alive.
In the Worthington firehouse, that story is different. Several of us retired firefighters are not
allowed into the firehouse for a visit unless we are accompanied by a command
officer. Since command officers are
usually not in the firehouse, this means we can’t just show up and visit with
our friends without an appointment. If
you are at all familiar with firehouses and tradition, a firefighter may be
driving down the road and upon seeing a firehouse, simply stop in for a
visit. Across the country, this is all I
have ever found necessary in order to talk to the friendly firefighters found
in all firehouses.
BUT NOT SO AT WORTHINGTON
The firefighters at Worthington have been told that they are
not supposed to let us into the station and should not be talking to us unless
a command officer is present. This kind of
comment from the chief or his staff plants a seed in the minds of firefighters
which in turn makes them, our friends, nervous about being seen talking to us
and for the security of their jobs. Now
of course, we know that cannot happen due to many legalities, but planting that
seed into someone’s mind is enough for most of the firefighters to be very
nervous whenever one of us shows up for a friendly visit. They need their jobs and don’t want to
jeopardize them. Nor do we want their
jobs to be on the line because they are our friends. So, we just stay away and miss the
camaraderie and banter that goes on between all firefighters.
Is this the way to run a company? Why does the chief feel he needs to rule
through the use of fear? Why is he
afraid for any of us to visit the firehouse?
Is he hiding something and is he afraid that we, as former firefighters,
will discover he is doing something that is not within the realm of proper fire
department rules and regulations and traditions? Or is he angry that some of us took a stand
against him and disagreed with his ideas.
After spending twenty-one years as a Worthington
firefighter, I feel disappointed and disheartened that I cannot stop by to
visit with “my brothers” without feeling as if I may be putting their jobs in
jeopardy. So, I just stay away and
wonder how they are doing. Phone calls
just aren’t the same as seeing and smelling the sights and sounds of the
firehouse and cannot be duplicated on the phone.
Is this how we are repaid for our dedication and
loyalty? Or do we need to find out what
he is hiding and why he is so paranoid about us. No other firehouse in town has a rule like
this and I have visited several. No one
is worried about my being there. Why,
then, is Worthington - or specifically – Chief Yurt?
CHIEF’S
CHARGES FOUND TO BE UNFOUNDED
Career
firefighter found INOCENT OF ALL CHARGES FROM CHIEF. After three days of hearings the Board found
that one of the career firefighters was innocent of charges of insubordination. Many thousands of TAX
dollars were spent by the Chief in an effort to terminate a Captain of
the department. These false charges not
only cost the taxpayers of the community money but disrupted the working
relationship of the department staff.
When is enough ENOUGH? The Chief’s misguided effort to establish an
ambulance district; a taj mahal of a new unneeded fire station (5 million
dollars); at least 56 firefighters leaving Worthington Fire Department since
2002; a lawyer hired by the Board to survey current and former firefighters
about the operation of the department (STILL NOT RELEASED); another firefighter
claiming workplace harassment. How long
does the Board ignore this before it takes action? You, the community and taxpayers, must let
the Board know that change is needed.
Brownsboro Road Station Shrinking
No,
not in physical size but in firefighters.
Two more volunteers have resigned leaving only five firefighters to
respond to emergencies. WHAT IS HAPPENING?
WHY ARE PEOPLE LEAVING? At least 56
firefighters have left the Department since the summer of 2002. WHY ? The Chief says the Brownsboro Rd area doesn’t
need an on duty 24 hour crew at this station.
Could the reason firefighters are leaving have anything to do with the
“Thanks” listed below? You have to
wonder how far this will go before the Board takes action. Let’s hope a real tragedy doesn’t happen
before SOMEBODY WAKES UP!
______________________________________________________________________
Chief
“thanks” former firefighters
Chief
“thanks” former Worthington Firefighters.
In a letter dated November 20, 2007 at least three former members of the
department received a letter demanding that they remove their volunteer
firefighter license plate. These plates
were due to expire in about 30 days.
“Please be advised that you now have seven (7) business days, from the
date of this correspondence, to return said plate and provide my office with a
written acknowledgement from the County Clerk’s office that your volunteer
license plate has been surrendered.” No
thanks for your years of service to the department. No come back and visit where you spent many years.
A copy of this letter was also sent to the Jefferson County Clerk’s
Office AND the 8th division LMPD Commander. Great, let’s call the police on former
department members.
What a poor way to treat
those who have served.
Why would
anyone want to serve?
______________________________________________
NORTON
COMMON FIRE STATION BID WAS APPROVED,
$4,300,000
For
a two bay station!
At the Jan. Board meeting the Board approved a bond issue
of $5,185,000.00
Look
what the City of Louisville is doing.
2
new fire stations,
$4
million
Look
further down for two other recently completed fire stations and compare. This
article was in the Courier-Journal, Thursday, Jan 17, 2008, Section B-3
Common
sense has to prevail.
HOW
CAN YOU SPEAK AT A BOARD MEETING IF THERE IS NO AGENDA POSTED?
Residents
are still not being heard !
24-HOUR
STAFFING AT THE BROWNSBORO RD STATION AND CONTINUED 24-HOUR COVERAGE AT
THE MURPHY LN STATION
The Chief’s response to the question above is “Our statistics
illustrate that the number of runs made from 8pm to 8am drastically decrease
from the level of daytime runs in the area of the Brownsboro Rd station.” He says the cost would be an extra $500,000
dollars and that this expense would be unnecessary.
Let’s look at the facts. The
cost of the 12 hour current crew is about $150,000 yearly. The cost of a 24 hour crew is about
$500,000. Which means the actual
additional cost is about $350,000. Seems
to be no problem spending $4,000,000 (OR POSSIBLY OVER 5 MILLION) on a
firehouse for an area that was originally projected to not be completed for
10-15 years. With the slowdown in
housing across the country there is no telling how many additional years before
that project is completed. It doesn’t
take a rocket scientist to drive out there are see all of the undeveloped
land.
As one resident said at the July 18th board meeting and
many others agreed …they didn’t want their tax money spent to build a community
room for Norton Commons.
The residents/taxpayers in the Brownsboro Rd station area DESERVE 24-hour
career staffing. It’s outrageous to
ignore these residents for a future development. It’s way past time for this.
REEVALUATION
OF THE NORTON COMMONS FIRE STATION
An
INDEPENDENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT
concerning the proposed $4,000,000.00 fire station is needed BEFORE any
taxpayer’s money is spent.
The
Chief has said his people can currently get to any place in the area in four
minutes. As one resident attending the
July 18th board meeting commented, “If that is so, then why do you
need another fire station?” There was no
answer.
Want
to see what $4,000,000.00 buys you in Worthington? You have to question the logic of the
proposed station when comparing other neighboring departments who have recently
constructed new fire stations.
See
below the comparisons and judge for yourself.
Proposed
Worthington station in Norton Commons:
Two
bay fire station Bedrooms
for 9 firefighters Administrative
offices Kitchen Training
room THE LAND WAS FREE Bldg
COST $4,000,000.00 18,000
square feet Cost
per square foot $222.22
North Oldham Fire
Department Completed 2004.
Five
bay station Room
for up to 10 fire apparatus. Drive
through capability State
of the art fitness room. Plenty
of office space 45’
training tower Classroom
facilities for up to 50 people Designed
for expansion Bldg
Cost $2,700,000 18,500
square feet COST
PER SQUARE FOOT $145.95
South Oldham Fire
Department Completed 2003.
Five Bay station with drive through 5 Offices on the first floor Men’s & Women’s restrooms Shop area Sleeping quarters for 5 people plus Workout facilities Large lounge and laundry facilities Training room Large community room w/ kitchen
facilities Four acres of land BLDG
COST $1,100,000 INCLUDES LAND 22,000 square feet $50.00 PER SQUARE FOOT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE WORHTINGTON FIRE
PROTECTION DISTRICT
Chairperson
Melissa Ames Mayoral Appointee Term expires:
mames@worthingtonfire.com votes only in the event of a tie
William
Cohen Mayoral
Appointee Term expires:
williamcohen2002@hotmail.com
Shannon
Davis Property
Owner Rep Term expires; June 30, 2010
Rick
Lusardo Property
Owner Rep Term expires:
Treasurer
Dan Clark Firefighter Rep Term expires:
Kevin
Groody Firefighter
Rep Term expires: June 30, 2011
Kevin
Tyler Mayoral
Appointee Term expires: June 30, 2010
These
people should be looking out for the citizens and taxpayers of the Worthington
Community.
Building
OVERPRICED fire stations for an area that
won’t be completely developed for 10-15 years WHILE IGNORING those living in the Brownsboro Rd
area is indefensible. Additionally,
those living near the Murphy Ln station will LOSE all of the career
firefighters now stationed there.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
The Board meets on
the third Wednesday of each Month, 7 pm at the Brownsboro Rd station.
PLEASE
ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AND BECOME INFORMED.
Encourage your neighbors also to attend.
Tell the Board that this
is OUR TAX MONEY they are spending and we don’t want it wasted.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION PLEASE WRITE TO : INFO@WORTHINGTONTRUTH.COM
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updated by email? Write info@worthingtontruth.com and leave
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