FeldFiasco.com - How Liz Feld Destroyed a Volunteer Fire Department
Larchmonters Sound Off!
Larchmont residents sound off about the plan. All of the links take you to letters that appeared in the Sound and Town Report and/or the Larchmont Gazette.
If the board tries to appoint a chief in a way that violates the law while the department nominates a chief who the board refuses to recognize, we have a serious leadership crisis. Is this a prudent way to run Village government? The mayor says that the problem is not with the volunteers and not with the quality of firefighting and emergency response. So what exactly is the problem, and how is hiring a paid chief the answer? As a new member of the Larchmont Fire Department, I am continuously impressed with the dedication of and the friendship among the members. As was echoed so many times the other night at the village meeting on April 11, there needs to be more effort and time spent on this critical issue. The mayor and board are playing with fire, and local fire volunteers and taxpayers are going to get burned.
Unions shouldn't dictate to the Larchmont Village Board on the fire chief issue--or any other village issue. Before voting on the question of a paid fire chief for Larchmont Village, I think it would be wise to re-visit the old League of Women Voters recommendations on merging town and village departments. Last night I had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a truly historic tragedy. Last night was a particularly sad one for me because I also resigned as volunteer captain, Engine Company treasurer and recruitment chair, effective June 15. This new policy, if it survives legal challenges, taxpayer revolt, more volunteer resignations and small pet attacks, will likely make Larchmont Village the laughingstock of all New York municipalities for reckless fiscal mismanagement. Sadly, all of those seventeen, and five more volunteers - including myself - have resigned from the department effective by the second half of June. The department functioned efficiently and the Village of Larchmont was well served. Now the Village Board has chosen to turn away from a system that was proven and effective. In my view, this is a great mistake that will haunt the Village for years to come. The mayor made some ugly comments about Larchmont's volunteer firefighters at the end of Monday’s Village Board meeting. As a long-time LFD volunteer present at the meeting, I asked to reply. The mayor flatly refused and abruptly ended the meeting. She and Trustee Millstein walked out, leaving me standing at the microphone and Trustees McAndrews, Kolbert and Ward staring at one another, perhaps in shock. To have Chief Heine claim that Village residents are as safe as they have ever have been with regards to fire protection after 18+ active volunteers have resigned is an insult. There are fewer people responding to calls. The math speaks for itself, full stop. Larchmont’s $152,000 Fire Chief has now admitted that, on average, fewer than three volunteer firefighters are responding to the typical alarm – hardly enough (combined with the 3 career firefighters typically on duty) to safely initiate firefighting. I am sad that a lot of good men have left who I have seen grow up in the department and as kids were gung ho So now, rather then admit it, the board, like Nero, continues to fiddle while Larchmont burns.