Posted on Friday, 10/30/2009 - 12:59 a.m. PDT — by beekay
Politics is a "contact sport". The Rodeo-Hercules Fire District Board plays the game with gusto. Bill Prather was elected by the citizens of the district -- the top vote getter. He is a veteran of the fire service and holds views not always consistent with his peers or the Firefighters' Union. Walter Trujillo is the newest Board member and the former president of the Richmond police union. The firefighters' union wanted the chief out because his policies reduced overtime. Prather backed the chief. Trujillo has led a campaign which ultimately replaced the chief and silenced Prather. There was a no confidence vote which failed to remove the chief; so the union simply threatened to become uncooperative in budget matters. Prather expressed an unpopular opinion; has been denied participation in District business for several months. He is now resisting yet another attempt by the Board -- not the people -- to deny him the right to participate in Board business. What happened to the voice of the people? 4,000 plus citizens who voted for Bill Prather are being denied participation in the political process! No wonder people see voting as a waste of time!
Joined: Oct 2009
Current Posts: 4
So a friend of a friend heard something in a bar; I heard another good one, about the Y Knot that walked into a bar. Since when is hearsay in a bar the basis for condemnation or censure? Prather is being condemned by the board and it sounds like they are beginning a lawsuit as well, based on hearsay.
Hey! What's the diff between those terms, who is going to pay for an expensive lawsuit, and much more importantly, what is the real reason for turning up the heat under Bill Prather?
I think that something stinks here, and that Prather is being unjustly targeted. A year and a half ago, he was thoroughly evaluated and found to be the voice of the people AND the voice of the fire department, and was made chair of that board. Why? Because he speaks the truth. Because he is consistent. Because he has the good of the city ~ the most good for the most people ~ first and formost, in all of his suggestions. Now he is being sued for these same opinions by the fire board!
Our fireboard is being led down the path of greed and corruption by a few rotten apples. Weed them out. Put a stop to it.
Prather has done no wrong; he is consistent in his fight for high standards for the fire department. He is fighting for maintaining high level of service in both male and female firefighters who qualify to pull out victims and, if need be, other fire fighters from flames and toxic dangers. We don't need reductions in standards, promoted by some for the desire to include those who just don't have the strength and stamina to do the job.
Prather counters some on the board because he also believes that increases in benefits will break the city in these hard times. He's not far off the mark, according to the city council. What happens when we suck the city coffers dry? It is like an empty fire hydrant, folks... Can't you just imagine the day YOUR house goes up in smoke and ~ whoops! ~ it's been declared a Firefighter's Furlough Day?
Voters stand firmly behind Prather. He's fought fires for almost two decades, and he knows what he's talking about. Why Knot look at the real issues here? Reductions in standards? Increases in benefits? Frivolous lawsuits? Why Knot?
ForThePeople
Joined: May 2005
Current Posts: 225
The union represents the public employees and Bill Prather represents taxpayers and logic. This is a sad situation when hearsay and political correctness determines the direction this district is going.