Pine Cove and Idyllwild should be united, together striving for fire safety. And you, our fire commissioners, have brought nothing but division, scandal and confusion. You are only trying to cover up a fiscal mess that you created and are responsible for.

It is undemocratic and against public safety to charge us $300 more than everyone else for the same emergency service (ambulance). To an elderly couple on a fixed income, to a young family, it could make the life or death difference whether they call 911. Life or death, affordability of service, uniting the community: This means nothing to our fire commissioners. They just want to cover the gross errors they made in the past.

A suggestion: Let’s start working together. Fire doesn’t recognize Idyllwild’s town limits. If you need to raise ambulance rates, do it for everyone. Spread it evenly throughout the Hill; don’t dump it on the people of Pine Cove.

You alienated Idyllwild voters who voted Pete Capparelli out of office. You put him back with sneaky, back-door politics.

You pushed out Chief Walker, who worked unceasingly to unite the communities in fire safety. You got Sherman, a supposed financial expert who was going to teach you bookkeeping. You were recently caught overpaying your employees for who knows how long.

Instead of discussing and negotiating with the people of Pine Cove over contracts, you shut them out — good, talented people, you drove away. Now there’s fighting amongst yourselves, pushing Schelly to resign. If you had any character left, you should all resign. We will be taking this up with the county supervisors.

Please let’s work together rebuilding. Do the right thing; do the fair thing.

Norm Cassen
Pine Cove