Captain Don Hoskins has won in the Missouri Court of Appeals.
A few years ago, Bonnie Stegman and Arron Hilmer tried to screw Cpt Hoskins out of his disability payments. Not only was their action in violation of Missouri law, it was also done in a meeting in violation of Missouri's Sunshine Law. The Call tends not to report on their friends' misdeeds.
I'm sure you'll be hearing about more losses by the board in future months.
16 comments:
Screwing firefighters is their passion in life and this lousy economy has fitted neatly into their scheme.
The next move the unemployed trust fund baby will make will probably be an attack on Hoskins' character.
It doesn't surprise us the MFPD BOD discriminates against the disabled. Apparently, they never knew laws were written to protect these individuals. I am sure more problems are coming their way. When arrogance trumps logic, you fail.
You can be sure that this will never make the Call! Why would they ever write about this case, even though it is extremely important. This case shows the Mehlville Fire Board losing!
The fire board is not losing, it that was true then why don't the records show it. By the way the employess are losing and more is to come:
You seem proud to say the employees are losing and more is to come. What the hell's the matter with you? Do you not understand the implications of creating crappy working conditions and poor morale? It's bad enough in a widget factory, but we depend on these people to bail us out of life-threatening situations, often at risk of their own safety, health and lives. We are now plagued with a fire department largely manned by and led by people with minimum qualifications and experience. You seem to think this is a good idea because Hilmer promised to save you money. Exactly how much have they actually saved you in the four years they have been dismantling the department?
What a pathetic, ungrateful, short-sighted little miser you are. And you're not very bright to boot!
Mehlville Fire is now classified as a minor league training organization. It looks good on the resume but you don't want to stay very long.
And they DON'T stay. The BOD has pushed out many of the senior experienced staff and is leaning as hard as possible on the rest. The place has turned into a revolving door training facility wherein any newbie medic is hired, sent through the academy at Mehlville taxpayer expense and flies the coup as soon as they can land a job someplace else.
Morale is a low as it can go. Clueless new people are running crews of clueless new people.
The BOD lies their asses off about this whole situation, but everyone employed there knows patients have died or suffered grave consequences because the quality and experience of personnel has been driven into the dirt by the BOD.
Hey this article actually made it into the Call (Sorry Mike, I still read it for kicks). I am somewhat surprised...however, they made sure to talk a lot about how this guy wasn't really disabled, and they made sure to let Hilmer state that no one else will receive benefits under this plan...but you know what, Hoskins won and the argument was sound!
You think Hilmer is busy changing the rules for the future?
5:57 Hilmer has ALREADY changed the rules expressly to screw anybody who gets hurt on the job.
He's pissed because he couldn't rope Hoskins under the new rules.
He has signed them up with "Sub-Standard" Insurance; an insultingly pathetic basic disability policy. That might be acceptable to some people in relatively low-risk jobs, but it is totally ridiculous for emergency personnel.
Hoskins struggled with his injury and reinjuries for years. Anyone who has suffered back injury knows the kind of limbo you often find yourself in. Even if surgery or other treatments apppear "successful" (I'm not in a wheelchair! Yippee!) one is left prone to reinjury. In this line of work one is especially vulnerable because decisions must be made quickly: am I going to risk my own health to help carry that obese heart attack patient down two flights of stairs or am I going to make him wait another 10 precious minutes while we call in an extra crew to help?
This is another area where Hilmer and the tax-phobes have screwed not only the firefighters and paramedics, but the community as well.
Among the best of these people, loyalty is everything. I've got your back, you've got mine.
Once these guys realized "the department" (as represented by the BOD and the voters who elected them) will not stand behind them if they are injured in the line of duty, then their natural sense of dedication and sacrifice went out the window. Self-preservation kicked in.
Strategy becomes "Hell no, I'm not going to heft his chubby butt at the expense of my back. Call in another crew."
It becomes "Surround and drown; hoses in the windows, boots on the ground." Why should we risk having a ceiling fall on us? To save somebody's dog and photo albums? Don't think so.
Why, indeed, should they risk their health, careers or family solvency for people who don't give a crap about them?
This community, those who voted these cretins into office and the idiots who stayed home on election day, is getting exactly what it deserves.
And there is more to come. Hilmer has handcuffed the department with his permanent tax decrease crusade and by spending down reserves. There is no way voters will increase taxes because he has convinced them the department can run on air. When the feces hits the fan and he can't pay the bills, they will dissolve the department. Fifty-five years of community investment and development down the drain. We will find ourselves absorbed by another department, firehouses closed and the equipment WE bought redistributed wherever the new masters decide to send it. This will not disturb Hilmer one iota. He's been gunning to dismantle and dissolve this department from the get-go.
A fitting end for what this department has become under Stonebraker (the unelected board member), Hilmer and his lap dogs, Stegman and Ryan. A fitting end for a community renown for being penny paranoid and pound stupid.
Amazing.
Heins: You are a true Stalinist, you won't post anything that is at odds with the narrow views of your firefighter butt boys.
5:57 Did the Call article mention that the Mehlville Fire Board was admonished by the Missouri Attorney General's office for violating the Sunshine Law when they voted against Capt.
5:57 The citizens of the community are ignorant of the facts. They are fed propaganda by the Call Newspapers.Until this cancer on our community is eradicated, we will all suffer.
12:52 A True Stalinist? How do you figure? Really, could you try to explain this? Or are you tired of calling everyone socialists and just substituted Stalin? Why don't you go back to calling everyone you don't like a terrorist? Seriously, this kind of name calling is juvenile. Should you actually like to see your comment posted, try being somewhat interesting, less repetitive and less profane. Good luck.
Mike--
No, the Call did not mention anything about the BOD violating the Sunshine Law--something the Call loves to "call" people out on. The article reviews the lawyers statements, and at the end, of course, Hilmer is given the last word. Here is the exceprt from the Call:
Hilmer told the Call he wasn't surprised by the court's decision, but noted Hoskins will be the last employee to receive disability benefits under the old disability plan.
"... This is exactly why Bonnie and I terminated this plan because it enabled employees to get put on lifetime disability regardless of their medical condition,'' he said. "This also makes it crystal clear why we were sued by Local 1889 so we couldn't get rid off this fraud-ridden plan. But the good news is that this never can happen again. This is the last vestige of the old Mehlville. The new Mehlville is what we're focused on. After years of ripping off the taxpayers, this is the final poke in the eye by the employees on the now-defunct Pension Committee ...''
Hilmer also said he personally believes the board will not appeal the appellate court's decision, but noted the board has not made a decision. A closed session to discuss the matter was scheduled Tuesday — after the Call went to press.
If there is no appeal, does that mean that the BOD realizes that they will not win? I'm sure that they will characterize it as saving money in legal fees. Also, this article was not on the front page, or the second page. So, while it was published, it wasn't front page news. But I'm sure the changes in the Pension committee will be, cause Stone Cold Hilmer says so!
Hey Mike, this really doesn't go along with the discussion of Captain Hoskins and his win over the BOD, but I just think it is interesting that the untruth spot hasn't had much to say about Mehlville or its union since Stonebraker was outed as the owner of the site. Since I can't post this on the site it belongs, just thought I'd throw it up for grabs here.
Mike
Is Stony afraid of something, is that why he is not blogging lately. You don`t think he is frighten of the upcoming Strinni court battle?
tThe Strinni battle will show that stoneys connection to mr beker of shrewsberry will have a connection to the gentelmans whos phone was supposibly taken. end of round its a family affair.
Well Stoney is trying to defend himself buy assuming. 5:57 is a firemen again the truth forgetor is attempting to use private post as a way to enrage the public aginst the firemen. 5:57 artical is almost word for word in the bull spot. not once does he mention the firemen arre angry with the tax payers. just with the people who belive the spew that the stonebraker riech has pushed on everyone only a few ppl truly understand what taxes r for. the firemen have not had a raise in over 8 yrs and there insurance has been reduced and other benifits also. thats old news. The tradgedy now is what happens when all the money the bod has saved from doing all this is gone. If you ask me I think the firemen have made amends twice over let it go Stoney you selfserving conservitive hump
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