tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6521092612847585726.post4376226095797192811..comments2024-03-01T03:36:34.353-05:00Comments on A Better Greenburgh: Fire District Elections This Tuesday, Dec 12thUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6521092612847585726.post-85553189423907609162017-12-10T12:30:15.550-05:002017-12-10T12:30:15.550-05:00Once again, it takes little effort to be against M...Once again, it takes little effort to be against Ms. Fraitag. But surely with ABG's vast experience in Fire District advocacy, it would behoove it to perhaps cite "something" as grounds for voting for him -- something other than he's not Mona.<br />If her claim of attending every meeting falls short of providing her with the "correct" answers as reported by a clearly biased ABG, what were Mr. Iamonico's answers? What does he bring to the table in terms of Fire Dsitrict direction? What I presume ABG likes about him must be that he is against consolidation -- a position which remains arguable but never on this blog. Consolidation is neither all good nor all bad but you wouldn't know it from reading these pages. One positive aspect about consolidation is that it lessens the monetary expense in justifying $200,000+ salaries for three Fire Chiefs and substantial amounts for seconds in command. Consolidation jeopardizes the shot at grabbing the brass ring for aspiring Fire Chiefs and current Chiefs who hang onto this bonanza for dear life and NYS pension. And, when you think about it, it is not as though the Fire Houses of these three, independent districts are so far apart from each other -- all being located under two miles while the distance from the nearest being less than a mile. Given that in most instances (say, an actual fire) all Districts respond to the same call, one really has to wonder whether or not consolidation is such a horrible thought were post consolidation the Fire Department to remain independent of Town Hall. Fear of Feiner running the show is merely the artifice that hides the cost of retaining a top-heavy, archaic, redundant management structure. Even at the "risk" of giving Ms. Fraitag a"portfolio" legitimacy, I argue that having a taxpayer advocate vs. no advocate is the lesser burden for residents to carry. And yes, it does make sense for Feiner (who hold elected office) to explore every opportunity to feed his mismanagement by finding ways to siphon off excessive tax dollars which do not flow directly to Town coffers. If that is ABG's concern, then whacking off the returning heads of the hydra has proven to be useless methodology to defeat the beast. However, I remain convinced that these ABG posts supporting Fire District independence are really about preserving a very costly status quo and not about reducing operational effectiveness. Thus, regarding this issue alone, "all I am saying is give Mona a chance" hal samishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10633763018583611795noreply@blogger.com