Lincoln Parish Fire Protection District #1 Board Chair Tom Thompson is upset that the Lincoln Parish Police Jury (LPPJ) did not last week rubber stamp his recommendations for reappointment to the district’s Board of Commissioners.
In a letter copied to all board and jury members, Thompson wrote:
The current members of the commission appointed by the Police Jury are qualified to serve in this capacity and have a near perfect attendance record.
Thompson also wrote:
If the jury is so concerned about the business of Fire District, shouldn’t they be attending these (board) meetings and events instead of listening to coffee shop rumors? Questions and concerns about the Fire District should be addressed by extending the common courtesy of making an appointment with the Chief or Chairman to discuss perceived problems instead of airing it before the public.
See here the letter.
06/21/2012 at 7:34 am |
The fire department is rapidly morphing from the all-volunteer force the voters were promised when they originally supported this scheme, to a (highly) paid professional force. The powers who control it are intentionally pushing it in this direction, and it represents a very significant growth in parish government and cost. Some of the volunteers tell me they face increasingly tough requirementd for participation, such that they are being forced out, thereby creating the situation where “…we have to hire people because there are not enough volunteers”. I make it a point to always resist growth of government, period.
06/21/2012 at 8:22 am |
I agree with GothicArc. I can well remember when the Fire Districts were first presented to the voters, they took pains to state that this would always be a volunteer force and would never become a professional paid force to rebut those of us who insisted that this would eventually become the case. Now, that reality is coming to pass just as we predicted back in the day. It has become yet another little empire supported by the taxpayers under the guise of lowering homeowner fire insurance rates, which is no longer the case. From Thompson’s strenuous objections to the Jury’s refusal to rubber stamp his board appointees, it appears that the Jury is indeed taking an interest in the fire board and doesn’t like what it sees. By appointing its own people, the Jury WILL be attending these meetings themselves through their appointed representatives. It’s about time the Jury reestablished control over the various boards in Lincoln Parish and reined in their ability to cost taxpayers money! These little empires subsidized by taxpayers need to be demolished and scattered to the winds. Thompson is mad precisely because the Jury is standing up for itself and taking notice of his shenanigans.
06/22/2012 at 7:27 am |
Wait until Mr. Thompson gets His tap on the shoulder. He will be steamed when he sees what’s coming.