Editor:<\/p>\n
\tThe Idyllwild Fire Protection District (IFPD) is a wonderful asset to our community. I support IFPD. One reason is because locals elect the board and therefore we have resources here that do not exist in other small, rural towns. <\/p>\n
\tRegardless of what some may say, IFPD is better suited for this community than what any other agency would provide. However, it could be better. <\/p>\n
\tThe title of the recent editorial, \u201cIntimidation,\u201d is an example because the IFPD board has had to respond
\nto accusations of intimidation in a previous grand jury report. <\/p>\n
\tIf only one person is intimidated that is one person too many. There have been
\nattempts at enforcing \u201cno on-duty in uniform\u201d attendance at political meetings but the majority of the board has refused to acknowledge the violation.<\/p>\n
\tState law reads, \u201cNo officer or employee of a local agency shall participate in political activities of any kind while in uniform.\u201d GC 3206. <\/p>\n
\tSo while in uniform the \u201cbully patrol\u201d is prohibited to participate by law, which the board has sworn an oath to uphold. <\/p>\n
\tAt the 2011 candidate forum the uniformed firefighters, while getting paid,
\nattended in the same fashion. There is an argument that \u201cattendance\u201d is not participation. Then why does each and every candidate acknowledge audience participation by their \u201cattendance\u201d alone at political forums?<\/p>\n
\tEven if intimidation is not intended, why continue if that is the perception by even one citizen? The board allowing it to continue could be a violation of the Brown Act which states, \u201cThe legislative body of a local agency shall not prohibit public criticism of the policies, procedures, programs, or services of the agency, or of the acts or omissions of the legislative body.\u201d 54954.3(c). <\/p>\n
\tDoes even one member
\nof the public feel prohibited to express their opinion freely because of several large, intimidating, uniformed employees lining the entrance and exit of a meeting?<\/p>\n
\tWe all love the work our firefighters do. If the board would enforce these laws on behalf of the public the Town Crier editor would have never written the recent article. But the IFPD board chooses not to do so. <\/p>\n
\tIt is not the chief\u2019s fault that he led his firefighters into a political meeting. It is not the firefighters\u2019 fault. They are just doing what the board allows them to do, whether it is legal or not.<\/p>\n
Charles Schelly, DC Editor: The Idyllwild Fire Protection District (IFPD) is a wonderful asset to our community. I support IFPD. One reason is because locals elect the board and therefore we have resources here that do not exist in other small, rural towns. Regardless of what some may say, IFPD is better suited for this community than what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1112,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"amp_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nIFPD commissioner<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"