Obviously, things are getting hotter with the Mehlville Fire District's inquisition!
The Post Dispatch had an article in today's Metro Section.The board started this investigation April 22nd. Individual firefighters have been asked if the had knowledge about some murder threats. I've got some questions for the fire board. If there are some allegations about serious crimes, shouldn't you call the county police or maybe the federal prosecutor's office. Is Catherine Hanaway too busy to take your call? Why are the taxpayers paying some fly by night investigative firm when we have these county and federal professionals who should be providing this service for free?
36 comments:
Well if thats the case, indeed they should go to the FBI, ET AL! That is unless it isn't true, in which case that would be a mistake!
So which is it, and should someone aleart thr FBI?
Tom Ford
Thank GOD, there is still good honest reporters like Patrick O'Connell out there, who still tells the whole story and who is not byis one way or the other. Not like that Oakville rag paper thats full of half truths!
I am an employee of the MFPD and I am sorry but I must remain anonymous because if I don’t I take the chance of being suspended or terminated by these so called reform Board of Directors. Or put under investigation by their fly by night investigator who was forced to resign by his old employer the St. Louis Police Dept. I wonder why? If these people are asking employees about a Murders plot then I would welcome someone to please please notify the FBI or some police agency that can come in and investigate all the goings on at the MFPD. And I mean all We have two employees who are starving out there and they don’t even know what they are to suppose to have done or who there accusers are if any. This is the BOD way of harassing the employees and trying to break the union. Plain and simple. Someone please help us we are losing to many good employees and I do not feel I can take this much longer myself! But I must for now I have a wife and 3 children to think about. If it was up to this board we would all be on food stamps.
Hey Mike, who is Catherine Hanaway in relation to the fire board and does this investigation team, who the board hired to investigate, have any relation/known to the Hilmer clan? How do you know murder threats are going around?
I seriously doubt there have been any murder threats going around, but the investigators have been asking employees if they've heard them. If anyone had, they'd have to bring in the law. This is right out of James Stonebraker's playbook.The circus is in town and Chairman Hilmer is the Ringleader. Catherine Hanaway is the federal prosecutor who I'm sure owes a lot to political consultants John Hancock, Inc. which James Stonebraker's wife is the political director for,so if Catherine could come and prosecute a few fireman for the cause, she'd be down here faster than our chief could get to a district fire.Isn't this amazing? I could understand the Chief not being involved in this investigation if he was a suspect. But he has no role in the investigation and knew of no allegations prior to the investigation. Where the bearded lady?
It's funny you mention the Chief, didn't he say in the post that he has no say so in this issue? He's justy another puppet put in that position by the HAMS group. What would you say to $100,000 a year salary for just nodding your head? The chief has every right to be involved in the day to day. That's what he is for. To make sure the sog's are being followed. There is something called the chain of command and someone is going straight to the top. I can't believe Stoner is involved in this. This man truly is pathetic just like Hilmer. Get a life. Leave the men and women alone.
Hey Mike how did you learn about the murder plot? This is trully getting out of hand. Hilmer and Stoner need to be stopped.
Why is anyone surprised Chief Silvernail claims he is not privy to the details of the
"investigation"? Historically a VERY opinionated man, he has had little to say since he was hired. In fact, he goes out of his way to make it clear he just follows orders.
Silvernail has stooped to playing Sgt. Schultz to Hilmer's Colonel Klink. "I know NOTHING, I see NOTHING!"
Hilmer and Stegman hired Silvernail out of retirement within the first ten minutes of their first board meeting. He conveniently happened to be sitting in the audience! Amazing. They wanted a recognized name who was known to and could schmooze the media.
He was evidently hired with the understanding he would keep his mouth shut and rubber stamp everything they did. He has done precisely that, which is why they signed him up for another year at a cost of $100,000; nice padding for the retirement he already enjoys.
It's sad. Years ago, before Mehlville, this man was regarded by many as a progressive leader who could envision and embrace the evolution of emergency services.
True, his reknown, unpredictable, volitile temper would occasionally send him off on some wierd tangent which would leave subordinates gasping in dismay and astonishment and get him in trouble with superiors.
However, whatever good he may done in the past has been badly tarnished by the Faustian deal he made with the devils. He has sold out for $100 grand and a cushy chair in a nice office where nobody gives a damn if he shows up or not.
He is a pathetic figurehead presiding over the slow death of a once fine department. Watching him genuflect before the likes of Hilmer and Stegman is revolting.
He knows better. Sad final chapters to what was once a respectable legacy.
Hey Mike
I did not see any murder plot in the Post Dispatch. Was this an employee that told you this. I think the board shuld look into this and if anyone has made a statement on a murder plot, this should be evaluated for possble termination of any employee that may have made a statement of such. I think you are going to hang one of Mehlville finest over your dumb statement.
Get real. There is no murder plot.
If anything, this is probably a few very frustrated employees saying they could "just kill that guy" like we all say when stupid people push our buttons. HAMS will do anything to bust this union. Look into Metro Security and you will find a guy who resigned from the St. Louis Police department after an investigation showed he tried to coerce fellow officers into filing false lewd conduct reports about his ex-wife. Slime, just like Hilmer and Stony.
You think these people won't try to sandbag MFPD employees? Again, get real.
How about the part in the post that the board has cocerns about racial discrimination. How about the fact they hired Bonnies friend as chief of EMS who didn't even score anywhere close to the person who scored #1 that should of got the job.
Coincidentally, a lot of these comments apply to the Mehlville School Board (Tom, Karl, Terry) >>> they're probably trying to take the heat off them.
9:14 Let me see if I understand you, someone is going to get the ax at the MFPD because of what I've written. I don't even think Gov. Blunt's crew would be that sloppy. Let me state again, I doubt there's anything at all to any of this crap, if there was, the MFPD BOD would have to call in the law.
7:14 You could say a few things apply to Tom and Karl on the school board. Their firing of Wallace was under the same BS pretenses.He he doesn't find gainful employment soon, I'm sure he will have to file a lawsuit for wrongful termination and defamation.Also, Tom Diehl is co-chair of the anti-trash thing with Mike Becker. Coincidence, perhaps, but I'd prefer to keep different company.
7:44 Please clarify. I don't understand which comments you are referring to or how they relate to the school board. Who's trying to take the heat off whom?
Tom Diehl got elected to the school board because lazy voters recognized his name from the Fred Weber mess. Why Diehl or the voters assumed that qualified him to sit on the school board is a mystery. His performance to date has only deepened the mystery.
I wish him the best in his fight against Goliath, but he needs to stay away from Elliot Davis and he needs to get off the school board before he steps in manure and stuffs his foot in his mouth again.
Gee Mike, it's too bad not everyone in south county can be as great as you -- a legend in your own mind.
Gee thanks 11:07!
Mike do you sniff the funny stuff to:
Why do you use a colon instead of a question mark?
7:44 The school board is trying to get the heat off them (the school board) by annonymously contacting the media about the MFPD. The school board has been wasting time coming up with a variety of strategies, e.g., the sky is falling give us more $$$, Brent lied, Patrick messed up the votes, MFPD did this or that ... anything to get the heat off their outright stupidity.
OK MIKE? IS THAT BETTER
NOW DO YOU SNIFF THE FUNNY STUFF TO?
I don't consider the "stuff" funny!
I don't consider the "stuff" funny!
I was surprised Mike Anthony wrote a nice editorial about Aaron Hilmer in this week's Call.
Do you think Mike was hinting the Mehlville School Board should learn to manage their dollars instead of putting something on the ballot?
I don't read the Call, but would not be surprised by anything I read in it. One can only guess where they are going. I would think they'll go where they can find some money as they live pretty much week to week. They're probably in a bit of a bind now since Fowler has bailed them out before but Hilmer has the financial connections that have been helping them lately. It will be interesting for those who follow the Call to watch, but I assure you their news and editorials will serve their own needs and not the community's.
Enough is enough! WE the people of Mehlville elected this board for fiscal responsibility, not to destroy the reputation of our district. I do not see any attempt by them to work with our employees. Next vote of mine will be for a board that wants the best for this community and will once again make us proud of this fire district, not make us a laughing stock.
7:22 Why were you surprised to find an editorial praising Hilmer?
They have been doing little else for the past three years. They totally concealed Hilmer's status as an unemployed trust fund baby. True, I doubt Hilmer likes them or they him, but they do share one common goal: the screwing of the firefighters and medics.
Anthony has been positively rabid on the subject for years. He hated the idea the union could sit down with the BOD and negotiate a contract. And, contrary to Anthony's published reports, the union did not dictate terms, they NEGOTIATED.
For years, the employees gave up raises in favor of decent health care and a proper disability plan. Nobody tells you that.
Then, thru the death of Joe Gaterman, an unusual confluence of circumstances led to the simultaneous election of two board members: Hilmer and Stegman.
The district has been on a downhill slalom ever since.
They wasted no time downgrading employee benefits but, of course, did not raise salaries.
They unleashed a campaign of misinformation, disrespect and abuse against employees and the remaining third board member. They put in place draconian measures to suppress dissent. They completely disregarded laws governing the holding of public meetings and release of public records.
Milligan and Anthony gave Hilmer and Stegman a pass on everything. Every article they have published gave Hilmer the final word on any dispute and clearly conveyed the impression his word was fact and dissention was only biased, self-interested opinion.
Talk to employees and they will surely complain about their financial losses. But they anguish just as much over the loss of experienced personnel and the hiring of the cheapest people on the market which places all their lives in deeper danger. Then there is the loss of quality of care and service to the community which places all OUR lives in jeopardy.
Not that you will read it in the Call.
9:05, I feel your pain. In my eyes Hilmer is not a bad person, the firefighters are not bad people as the paper makes them out to be. I believe Hilmer is holding the firefighters down, way down, for kind of retaliation. I read an article way back when from Stoney, the idiot he is, did the exact same thing as what Hilmer is doing right now. At first they are complete butt heads to the rank and file. Hilmer's agenda is to bust the people who made the district in bad shape (in his eyes). As did Stoney to lemay. Once those people were out he started to work with the employees to give them raises and gave back some of the things lost. Yes it is very childish, I know, but you give a little to get a little, you give a lot to get a lot i guess it is his idea. Some things obviously happened to piss some people off.
Have you seen Stoney newest blog on Mehlville Fire.
Someone sent me a recent posting with more talk of murder threats. Can you imagine these clowns getting murder threats and not calling the police? And how about the idea that several firefighters contacted him with their info. How did they know who to call? The Truth Spot's credibility ranks right next to the Call's.
Stony must be positively dizzy with all the spinning he's doing.
"Most disturbing of all...racial harassment...won't take orders from females"
HILMER hires an alleged racist/sexist loon and this is somehow the UNION'S fault?
The alleged racist/sexist loon allegedly posts an inappropriate email on the district site and this is somehow the UNION's fault?
A non-union "top administrator" allegedly does not remove the inappropriate email from the server and this is somehow the UNION's fault?
No disciplinary action is taken and this is somehow the UNION'S fault?
People have allegedly made poorly qualified newbies feel sad? Too damn bad.
If you are the senior medic on the ambulance, you are ultimately responsible for the call. Discovering you can't trust your partner's skills is scary.
Having two or more patients on the scene and having to divide your attention means you can't keep a close eye on your partner or what he is doing/not doing for the other patient.
Finding out the BOD has stuck you with a cheap hire partner who can't start an IV without sticking the patient a dozen times kinda makes you testy.
Finding out he's so raw he's never intubated a real patient makes you angry.
Intubating involves sticking a tube down the patient's throat into the lungs to control their breathing. (Note: It's not a good sign if the medic has to take control of a patient's breathing in the field. You want the new guy practicing on you in a crisis?)
People can die.
Let's try applying the same advice Stony hands out so freely to the seasoned "union" employees:
If you are a cheap hire and co-workers resent your inexperience and incompetence, stop whining you crybaby and improve your skills quickly or QUIT.
If you are the cross-trained marvel Hilmer and Stegman claim you are, go somewhere else; you should be in great demand.
This is someone impartial to the whoos of this district. Mr. Hilmer needs to behave like the leader we all thought he was going to be. I see someone behaving with little maturity.The persons elected to this office should first and foremost be responsible for the protection of this community, be it fire or emergency health. All I see, and excuse me,is a pissing match. I will send the district the minute amount I have saved in tax dollars to restore this district.
3:35 I can see how the average taxpayer might feel that way. Please consider:
The men and women of this department, who already had stressful jobs to begin with, have been living under a state of siege for three years.
This may be a pissing contest to Aaron Hilmer, Stegman, Stonebraker and their ilk, but it is a fight for financial survival and professional pride to these employees.
It is a fight for TRUE quality care and service to the community, rather than what can be made to look good on paper and is cheap. If they didn't care about that they wouldn't be in the business to begin with.
Wearing the cloak of "reformer" under the guise of "fiscal responsibility" and with the dedicated complicity of the local rag, Hilmer & Co have compromised this fire district.
They have villanized firefighters and medics, demeaned their experience and skills and treated them with contempt before and since they were elected.
They have made nonsensical claims to have increased services by 200% while slashing taxes.
They have staffed key administrative, office and emergency positions with low cost mediocrity.
This is not an example of leadership or fiscal responsibility. It is a demonstration of the corrosive zealotry of anti-tax fanatics and political machination.
3:35 Well written, why don't you run for the BOD next time when there is an opening. Unfortunately BOD terms of 6 years are too long and competency is not on the list requirements to fulfill the position. He who has the biggest ego and is a gadfly with a group of other kool aid drinkers can wreak havoc on the citizenry that are ill informed and are clueless and they are the ones at risk and the risk is real it is not perceived.
Has anyone read the opinion of the Truth Detector on all of this? Who is the Truth Detector? How do we get in touch with him? He states many paramedic/firefighters have contact him. I have tried to contact him though his blog, but there is no way to. How credible is he? Is he real? Does he wear tights like Batman or Baton Bob at the central west end? Has anyone interviewed him to see if he is a nut with a PC or if he’s trust worthy? Please help me find him! Here is his blog. http://southcountytruth.blogspot.com/?widgetType=BlogArchive&widgetId=BlogArchive1&action=toggle&dir=close&toggle=MONTHLY-1209618000000&toggleopen=MONTHLY-1209618000000
7:31 Gee, thanks. Now I have the image of Stony dressed like Baton Bob burned in my brain. AAGGGGH!
Seriously, if you seek the Truth Defector, you must crawl inside his tiny mind and think as he does. You must frequent the places he lurks. I suggest you begin your quest in the sewers. If you have no luck there, try the landfills. I'm sure you will encounter some rat who can direct you to him.
The Truth Detector is James Stonebraker. He stays in the closet so they he can write things about people that he knows to be false. He has a history of lieing about people and getting caught. If he exposes himself, his name I mean, he would be sued for defamation by several people. I, on the other hand, use my name. I must have a reasonable belief based on some evidence before I start calling someone a thief,drug dealer or wifebeater. Mr. James Stonebraker, I dare you to stand by your words.
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