May 9, 2015 – GANS RETURNS TO BOARD
RICK GANS TO RETURN TO MONARCH BOARD
THE MONARCH CONCERNED TAXPAYERS WERE THRILLED TO LEARN THIS WEEK THAT RICK GANS WAS APPOINTED BY DIRECTORS HARRIS AND CUNNINGHAM TO FILL THE DIRECTOR SEAT THAT BECAME VACANT WHEN UNION BOARD MEMBER STEVE SWYERS RESIGNED LAST MONTH.
While we expected this to be the outcome, we are nonetheless very pleased that Mr. Gans will be returning to the Board of Directors after a 4 year absence. Mr. Gans always represented the taxpayers well and we expect this to continue. The message delivered in April 2013 and repeated in April 2015 was loud and clear. We want Board members who answer to us and not the powerful Firefighters’Union. Returning Rick Gans to the Board of Directors assures that will be the case.
We have been calling for an improved relationship with the Union and maybe now that will occur, if the Union members demand it of their leadership. We do appreciate the important work performed by the Monarch firefighters and paramedics and sincerely hope they can work with this excellent Board in the future.
Email us at members@monarchconcernedtaxpayers.com
Welcome to the website of the Monarch Concerned Taxpayers – a group of concerned taxpayers within the Monarch Fire Protection District who are tired of the wasteful spending by the Monarch FPD Board Directors Steve Swyers. Swyers has strong ties to the Union and are working to give out large raises and increase the tax burden on the taxpayer.
It is a painful process for tax payers to regain control of Monarch. We love our community and we honor our Fire Fighters. I know it will be very hard for the Fire fighters Union to accept what the voters are saying, but it is what it is. I know there are young Fire Fighters embarrassed by their union reps. Suing at the drop of the hat and complaining to different agencies costs us all. Shallow victories do none of us any good. The funds spent on these legal battles does nothing for the community, or Fire Fighters. Just goggle Monarch, story after story from union shop stewards praising themselves or griping about their jobs. Goggle any other first responders, they just do their jobs. It’s time for the silent Fire Fighters to take back their Union.
I am happy we are able to pay our fire fighters so well. I hate what we have done for all of the other Chesterfield employees. Will we ever be able to compensate them as we do the firemen? Nope.
The Monarch Concerned Taxpayers assume you understand that Monarch firefighters and employees of the City of Chesterfield do not work for the same entity and that Monarch firefighters provide services in Wildwood, Creve Coeur, Ballwin, Clarkson Valley, St. Louis County and Maryland Heights. We are wondering if you think that all employees who serve those cities also should be compensated the same as Monarch fire fighters? Wouldn’t it be nice if all government employees averaged over $130,000 a year in wages and benefits? We all know where the money comes from to pay for this, so we must assume you wish for taxes to increase significantly. We were at a Monarch Board meeting in which a citizen spoke and told the Board of Directors that they should pay the fire fighters whatever they asked and that no amount of money was enough to pay for what they do. What she didn’t say was how much more in taxes she was willing to pay to make that happen. Throw in all of the government employees from the same west county area that Monarch serves and you have yourself one huge tax increase. We believe you are in the minority in asking to be taxed whatever it would take to compensate government workers the same as what Monarch employees make, which is nearly double what most currently earn.
I’m not asking for it, I’m pointing out we can’t do it. How fare is that. Do we continue to raise Fire Fighters benefits and say the heck with the rest of them, or do we try to make it right by benefit freezes and raises tor the Community employees when we can. What happened in this fire district was unfare. It will take some time, but we need to make this right. FD should be Government run.
Last time we looked government was set up in such a way that taxpayer money cannot simply be shifted around from government entity to government entity. If schools need money, it cannot be taken from fire district funds, if roads needs repair, it cannot be simply shifted from the community college district budget. Each taxing entity stands on its own, taxes and spends on its own and is governed by its own elected officials. Are you aware the fire district is a government subdivision governed by a Board of Directors elected by voters? At Monarch Fire, this concept does sometimes get confusing as the employees Union works very hard to control the governance of the Fire District for its own benefit. But in the end, the voters decide who is elected to office and controls the tax dollars of the Monarch Fire District. When voters elect Board members like Kim Evans and Steve Swyers, they vest control of the Monarch Fire District in the hands of the Union, as these particular Board members answer to the Union Bosses. That would be the case if the Union is able to trick voters into electing Kelley Miller. Just look at who is paying for and running her campaign.
Monarch Fire board Candidate, Kelly Miller introduces herself to the Monarch Fire District Community ” I probably have just enough knowledge to make me dangerous”. Wow, I don’t want that!
Hi! I’ve been reading your web site for a long time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and
give you a shout out from New Caney Tx! Just
wanted to say keep up the excellent job!
I was able to find good information from your articles.
I think you’ll all be happy to know that as of today, Friday, January 31st, 2014, the *new* board (I think there has been an election since 2011?) has presented a public Transparency Portal. You can visit it here :: http://monarchfpd.hackmultimedia.com/portal/
Thanks!
If you were there Mr. Smith why didn’t you don your superhero cape and save the day?
You are so wrong. I made that judgement and I had the right to make that Judgement. And how do you know that I was not there?
Unless you were on that fire in Mid-County that day you are merely armchair quarterbacking. Anyone can, and will, file a lawsuit when they are injured. Unless you were there, on that day, in that situation, you have no right to make a judgement.
Also Bull if my mind is correct wasn’t Mid County the District that had the house fire where a female firefighter fell through the floor and had to get out on her own power while everyone else just stood around wandering what was going on. NOT VERY GOOD FIRE GROUND COMMAND PROCEDURES FOLLOWED THAT DAY:
I am sorry Bull but you don’t what you are talking about. AND MID COUNTY DON’T BURN DOWN BUILDINGS? What does he know about EMS inwhich is 70% of Monarch responses. Running calls is the easy part, managing people is the hard part and how many people does Mid County have compared to Monarch. He would not make a pimple on Les Crews butt in training and education. Bull you need to go back and do your home work.
Did you just watch one of the biggest college football coaches lose his job because he ignored a major problem. Its funny what people are saying about Chief Vineyard need to get a life. District in danger how many fires do you get 5 a year burnt to the ground sorry its on ths news showing roofs always gone. Maybe you will get lucky and Vineyard will show your firefighters how to go in and get it. He is head of Fire Chief Association plus was Training officer of the year. He also has real awards for pulling people out of fires not fake awards to make Monarch FFs look like great. Plus he knows how to run big fire scenes. One engine house that runs more calls with two trucks than 5 houses at Monarch. Give me a break. Tax payers remebemer busy Districts run the calls to get more expierence in less time. 30yrs out there is 2 in North County. If he walks you lose out.
Nice job Monarch Board. I’d like to know what kind of leadership an individual is going to bring to my community under the environment you just created. Here’s a great job posting: “Fire Chief wanted. The Board likes to fire multiply individuals with no explanation to the tax-payers. We’ll hire a firm to do a national search, but the Union will decide that an unqualified individual from a 1 station department with 20 employees is the man for the job”.
I am an educated constituent and your actions are insulting. The Monarch Board should be embarrassed.
The board does not see the critical mistake of letting go all their expereince before the new chief gets in. Tommy Boy will have his hands full. But, hte union will run it for him. He will be just fine.
Just think of all the institutional knowledge that is gone. All the command expereince. I hope nothing catches on fire. Because the district is already burning down.
Lets see chief retires in 30 days, no assistant chief, no deputy chief, fired two batt chiefs. OMG , I hpe nothing big happens. Board, you folks are messing with citizens lives. What is a major disaster struck. We are screwed.
Our is it to let the training officer run the place for the union and until vinyard getthere and echle get the asst chiefs job. Unreal
If you are trying to insinuate that Training Officer Echele is a puppet for the union, you are way out of line! I have known him since we went into the military together right after high school and his integrity is of the utmost highest esteem! He has gone out of his way to maintain a neutral position as a Chief Officer and treat ALL Directors – past & present – and employees with the same equal respect. If you think he is trying to obtain the Assistant Chief’s position – THINK AGAIN! He wanted the Fire Chief position and applied for it. His qualifications are second to none and far outshine ALL the other candidates. He has a Masters in Business Administration, Masters in Human Resource Management, recent graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program and the ONLY candidate to be internationally accredited as CFO – Chief Fire Officer. He has been in the Fire Service for 30 years and a paramedic for the last 25 years. In my opinion, he is by far the highest qualified person, so before you go commiting slander and defaming his character, you might want to get to know him first! you would be glad you did.
Being nuetral means stand for nothing. Have another glass of cool aid. You are not respected a training officer, whats makes you think you would be as a chief? Surely with all your education you could self analyze your cool aid consumption.
I don’t have the education he has having only a high school diploma, but even my high school education is all I need to analyze your comment and come up with a couple obvious conclusion:
1. You obviously have me mistaken for someone else. I have never been a training officer or in the fire service. I am retired military.
2. While all I have is a high school education, it is apparent that you lack even a grade school education. Afterall, even a first grader knows its not cool aid, but Kool-Aid. I think you have been drinking too much of your own spiked Kool-Aid.
3. I don’t know how respected he is as a training officer or how much he would be as a Chief, but one would assume someone that has been honored by the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, awarded Paramedic of the Year in the past, and received several accommendations for his instruction would be respected by his peers. maybe not?? Maybe he would stand for something if there was something worth standing for? Did you sign your name on the dotted line to defend this great country like he did? To me, a retired veteran, thats taking a stand. or were you one of the many too chicken to stand for and defend our country? The point I was making to Mr. Weaver is do not assume he would be a puppet for the union when the union turned their back on him too. And if your wondering how I know so much about him, I got all of my information from the Chesterfield Patch article this past July spotlighting Mr. Echele and his accomplishments, which are even more than what I mentioned, and from personally knowing him for many years. I think you are the one that needs to analyze your Kool-aid comsumption, mister “how is the cool aid”, because it sounds like your Kool-aid was made with some sour grapes instead.
What is going on with all of the individuals being fired at Saturdays closed session of the board meeting? Is this so the new Chief can bring in his own individuals for the top jobs?
Probably so there is no dissenting view and to “pay back” members of the shop who are in tight with the new board members. Curious how the shop stewards are suddenly at the top of the captains promotional list and these firings will now create the need to promote several new captains…