“We either got to deal with the county board's decision or there's been discussion of all the volunteers resigning and turning their gear in. If the county wants to run our district, let them deal with it and see what they can do," he says.
Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg says these trustees have enormous power and it's the county board's job to select the best people.
"They pick the chief. They develop their budget. They set the policies for the board, the oversight of the district. They set the tax levy," says Walberg.
The fire chiefs from districts one, two and three have said they feel the county wants to replace the trustees because the board members are unhappy with a sprinkler ordinance trustees approved. The ordinance requires all commercial buildings to install a sprinkler system. Some county leaders argue that puts a burden on businesses. Firefighters argue it's about fire safety. "If it's left off to rage out of control, but the time we get there the ceilings and things will start collapsing on us," explains firefighter, Daniel Pearson.
either got to deal with the county board's decision or there's been discussion of all the volunteers resigning and turning their gear in. If the county wants to run our district, let them deal with it and see what they can do," he says.
Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg says these trustees have enormous power and it's the county board's job to select the best people.
"They pick the chief. They develop their budget. They set the policies for the board, the oversight of the district. They set the tax levy," says Walberg.
Click on the following for more details: http://www.wrex.com/Global/story.asp?S=14908882
It is very difficult what to made of this whole thing. Here is what Ms. Mattison wrote to his follow Boone County board members and the general public regarding the matter. His statement became a part of the board packet.
June 15, 2011
To: The Boone County Board & Public
Re: Fire Protection Districts & Trustee Appointments
The appointment processes for various Boone County positions that Bob Walberg, Boone County Board Chairman, has used the past 2 years are confusing if not purposely manipulated. They seem to change depending on who and what the appointments are going to be. They have ranged from Board Chair recommended names being presented without application letters to having hearings for applicants and the Board Chair stating he is going to rely on recommendations from the County Board after they interview the interested parties. Some County Chairman appointments (to name a few, but not all) are made with no input from the County Board (Mary Steurer, Boone County Clerk), some with input from outside the County Board (Brad Fidder,County Board member District 1), and most recently Fire District Trustees and potential appointees interviewed by the Roads and Capital Improvements Committee after Chairman Walberg attempted to replace the trustees from Districts 1, 2, 3, with no detail or explanation to the public or the County Board for the reason to change at the May County Board meeting.
Several various forms of appointment have been used including the use of "straw polls" by Mr. Walberg.
The current appointment process being used to Appoint Boone County Fire District Trustees is flawed at best, and just plain wrong at its worst. It is convoluted.
Board Chairman Walberg in March, 2011, sent a memo to County Board members stating..."I feel we should not micro manage the Fire District(s) by debating their actions. It is the Trustee's job to oversee the Fire Districts." In that memo he references an opinion he requested from State's Attorney Michelle Courier. The opinion was given January 19, 2011 so it must have been asked for in December of 2010 or early January of this year. There was no background explanation why Walberg sent the memo to the board, but the State's Attorney's opinion cited a sprinkler system and ordinance.
At the May County Board meeting, Walberg presented a list of his Fire Trustee appointments, in essence replacing the current Trustees in Districts 1, 2, and 3. There was no explanation for the changes. Fire District members attended the Board meeting and after input from several volunteer firefighters, trustees and comment from the County Board focused on sprinkler systems and the appointments, Chairman Walberg postponed his appointments and set a special County Board meeting to hear from the fire districts. At that special meeting Fire District personnel came to discuss the appointments and the sprinkler system code, but Walberg confined the discussion to the sprinkler systems. (This action taken after his
March memo to the County Board stating..."we should not micro manage the fire districts by debating their actions."
It is apparent to many, that indeed the actions by Fire District leadership are being debated and evaluated relative to Trustee appointments by Chairman Walberg contrary to his memo to the County Board.
The history of this brouhaha dates back to sometime in 2010 when County Board Vice Chairman Marshall Newhouse and County Board Chairman Bob Walberg (without informing the whole County Board) initiated discussions with three Boone County Fire Districts telling them there was public outcry from the Boone County business community, certain County Board members, and administrators concerning some of the fire sprinkler requirements imposed under the fire district ordinances. There has been no documentation presented identifying "public outcry" to the County Board. All of those complaining about the fire code should make themselves known, what and where they want to build, the use, and their reasons for not following the code. Vice Chairman Newhouse has stated the new code could hurt economic development and prevent businesses from re-locating in the county. It should be understood that sprinkler systems can cause substantial investment and are a concern for economic development--they also are proposed for fire prevention, fire safety, health and welfare of the citizens and firefighters, and to channel commercial building development where it can be best protected in urban and industrial development areas--not rural areas where the probability of loss of property and life are considerably greater. And, Fire Codes are a critical land use planning tool helping to site commercial building where they can best be preserved and protected in case of fire.
County Board Chairman Bob Walberg and County Board Vice Chairman Marshall Newhouse did not present this as an issue to the County Board in 2010, but instead worked "behind-the-scenes" contacting the fire districts and others. The Boone County Board as a whole has not been involved in this process from the "git-go."
Certainly communication on the code and the County should occur. Certainly the Fire Code issue should be debated at the County Board level, and a level of understanding developed between the Fire Districts and the County. It should include the Planning Department (land use, zoning, health, welfare, & protection), as well as the Economic Development arm of the County--Growth Dimensions.
The appointment of Fire District Trustees should be based on their goal to provide "as nearly adequate protection from fire all person and property within Boone County as possible and must prescribe necessary regulations for the prevention and control of fire." The current Trustees have performed to this standard.
These are Trustees and mostly neighbor volunteers who with pride give their all to save home and families from fires and disasters. They should be judged for appointment on this criteria, not innocuous hearsay complaints from potential builders trying to save money on unsuitable sites. And the legitimate complainers to the code should identify themselves and come forward to become part of the debate to provide sensible fire protection for all.
I intend to support the current Trustees for re-appointment:
*Ron Tinberg in Fire District 1; *Dennis Peaslee in Fire District 2; and *Ray Morse in Fire District 3.
Patrick B. Mattison, Boone County Board District 3
Later Mattison stated: FYI...Chairman Walberg nominated Ron Tinberg for Trustee in District 1, and then voted against his appointment...doesn't make sense.
AND HERE IS THE ACTUAL VOTE:
Click on the photocopy to enlarge.
