E-mail to Big Tree Fire President Jeff Roth
8 04 2008As editor and owner of www.Hamburgfirst.info , I invite you respond to the recent articles about your Fire Company purchasing new property and what you are going to use it for. I think the readers of my site are very interested in this issue. I am probably the most read political website in Hamburg and I get thousands of page reads each week. I will post your response in its entirety as long as you use professional language and stick to the issue and not personal attacks.
If you would like I can even set up a way for you write directly to the public and post articles at your will. However this will require you to keep all comments professional and stay away from personal attacks on everyone. I am a controversial writer but I do that to spurn discussion where most people would simply glance at an artcle and then leave the site. I am doing everything in my power to get people to participate in their government. This sometimes means writing articles that get peoples blood going. If you are interested please respond as soon as possible. People want to know:
1.) Why did you buy the property?
2.) What are you doing with the property?
3.) How many actual fire calls your department respond to each year?
4.) How many of those require you to pull and charge hoses?
5.) How many EMT calls your department take each week, month and year?
6.) How many calls Rural Metro take in comparison to your department for the same time frame?
7.) How much money does your department have in the bank?
8.) If you are a non-profit, why do you have so much money in the bank?
9.) As a non-profit who is supposed to get your extra money?
10.) Why have you not reported your intentions on this new property to the Town Council?
All of us who read Hamburg First look forward to your response.
Thank You
Ford Beckwith
I just heard from a former member that Big Tree has 2 CHILD SEX OFFENDERS as members. both of these men are registered with NYS as Sex Offenders but are still members of the fire company. Not only that at least one of them has keys to hall where citizens drop their children off for boy scouts!!! This is known by the President and Chief bu they neglect to do anything about it.
Lookup Juan Vega and Rick Cuievllo in the NYS sex offender registry.
This is disgusting that these two can be members of that organization.
One other note is that my daughter went to the homecoming dance that Frontier held their this past fall. Frontier Board member Stan Figel is alos a member of Big Tree and knows of the sex offenders but yet he allowed Frontier to hold the dance. He knowly allowed our precious children to be possibly exposed ot a sex offender!!!
Also ask how many fire calls are false, they go to Hopevale some times 4-5 times a day for false alarms, also the High School. They choose which First Aid calls to go on, if your doctor tells you to call an ambulance to get you into the hospital, with the proper care while enroute, they let that call go to Rural Metro. If a resident of the District has a mental health problem they also let Rural Metro respond. The Town agreement with Rural Metro shoud be updated, they need more ambulances to handle the calls that the local’s don’t want or are not able to handle. Maybe a Chief will respond but that is it, they have several senior living homes in the district, same thing with them. No blood no glory, they pay taxes too, that is why their rent is so high. Who more than the seniors on a fixed income need the services, but then Medicare does pay Rural Metro, so why not go with the better service.
The members of that Fire Department will never answer your questions, and the local elected leaders will never investigate the Fire Departments. The State of New York does have the power, oooo, they too will never investigate. Just too many votes too loose. God Bless you Ford you are trying to use the small pail to empty the ocean.
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that as soon as both the Vega and Cuviello cases came to light, that the Fire Company expelled both of those members. I don’t think they are still members. However, I am not a member of the department, so I would ask a member of the department to confirm or deny my statement.
Also, I’m not sure how the girls at Hopevalle pulling the fire alarm reflects poorly on the Fire Department? The fact that they continue to show up every time prepared for the worst, but hoping for the best puts a spotlight on their professionalism.
Jeff:
As a past chief of the Fire Company I know how hard you are working to serve the public. Please do not let people who know nothing about thae facts or are willing to distort them to make Big Tree look bad concern you or your dedicated staff. You guys and girls continue to do a great job.
Mr. Beckwith is using his position on this blog to also try to make you look bad. He should know that with just one trip to Town Hall he could obtain an answer to the 10 questions he has asked, instead he shows what a irresponsible journalist he is. He should also do his own investigation rather than relying on mis- truths he is receiving.
Big Tree has served this community for close to 70 years and they continue to do it proudly. For that Jeff I thank you.
Hmmmmmmmm
Ford what does the Supervisor tell you regarding these issues you have brought up?
yes Ford, please tell us. What Does the Supervisor say about this mess ?
With everything that has gone on with the Big Tree Fire Department maybe it is time for an investigation into their finances. I understand that Blasdell has the same problem and they are doing a behind the scene investigation into the use of EMS funds. Should they investigate their own when it comes to our tax money? I think not. Big Tree has a very bad track record with their money and problems with members, this should be done by an agency that has no political ties. Also every part of the investigation should be made public and above board. After all it is taxpayer money that they are spending. The Supervisor is not the answer, it must be much, much higher up in the Federal Government where the locals do not have any pull.
Will there be a political backlash against Steve Walters? After all hasn’t he unleashed Ford on both the recreation dept., and volunteer firemen and women in our community?
What ye say ?
Anonymous (10:43:1
:
Big Tree has a very bad track record with their money and problems with members,
We know about the issues with the past member but what else is there. I dont understand where this comment comes from. Dont all the past $$$ issues have to do with Just Ray ?
is there more, please tell us ? have you vheard something more about the finances of this fire company ? I would like to know, its my tax money to !
Happy homeowner:
Bad track record with money problems, are you kidding?? This was the same company that cut taxes 8 years in a row or don’t you know that. If all of you have so much to say you should join the company and make it better, last year they were once again 100% Volunteer.
People who still talk about Ray… he stole $1200 in gas, what would your company do??
James, are you sure Ray stole $1200.00 in gas? How is it the Fire Company lost in court? Maybe it was a hatchet job by some (maybe you) which blew up and cost the company may dollars to end Ray s suit. After your comments James, I would like to publicly request the Town audits the books of the Fire Company and in the future, any money from the Town is tied to quarterly reviews. Let’ see who’s up for this. Be careful of the can of worms you open.
Never happen, the Town will never question the fire departments. That is why it should be handled by the Fed’s