The Mehlville Fire District's Board of Directors has been breaking so many laws lately that they're not even trying to be sly about it anymore.
Let's start with last week's approval of a bid to sell a district firehouse. This was done in closed session. When I asked about the closed session votes, I was told by their records' custodian that she could withhold the votes for 72 hours. I informed her that that was not the law, that only votes on personnel issues could be withheld. I've gone back and forth with the district's attorney for the last couple of days but he won't give me a straight answer. They violated the law and are just playing stupid! Believe me the Call would be crying all the way to the courthouse with this one if it was anybody but their buddies with the Mehlville Fire Board! When I got the info on the sale of the firehouse, I asked why it was in closed session when approval and execution of the sale should be in open session. Guess what? The agenda for the next meeting was amended to include the sale of the firehouse. Either Matt Hoffman or the district should be paying me for legal advice.
Then, I looked a bit closer at the agenda for the meeting on the 27th and there's no tax rate hearing on it. That's good, cause one was never held. Board Chairman Arron Hilmer held perhaps the fastest meeting on public record. His agenda included the sale of the firehouse, public comments and a tax rate hearing. All were done within a minute. He didn't even read the tax rate resolution. No citizens were offered the opportunity to speak. This is what Missouri Law says about tax hearings.
Prior to fixing the rate of taxes, as provided in this section, the county governing body shall hold a public hearing on the proposed rate of taxes at which citizens shall be heard.
And guess what, no minutes were taken of the meeting as required by Missouri's Sunshine Law. The meeting was recorded. There will not be an official record of this meeting, as required by law, for perhaps months, if the district follows its normal practice.
Update/Correction I was wrong. Apparently the regular board secretary wasn't at this meeting and the interim secretary took minutes. Could this be the beginning of complying with Missouri statutes?
Now that's the facts. Here's my opinion. The district's record custodian needs some training on the sunshine law, the district needs to get a new attorney, one that will give legal advice instead of participating in this in this theft of good government and the mainstream media in this town needs to look in on our fireboard. It's understandable why the Call Newspapers willingly go along with this board. They make money off them. But, it's a shame that the Post Dispatch doesn't look into them. My only guess is that the Post gives that north county fire department hell cause their BOD and its lawyer is black. I'm guessing that its more popular with their white readers to go after the black guys when they break the law and abuse the public's trust.
Oh yeah, after all that nonsense about getting a tax decrease after the first ever tax decrease election in the spring, the fire board raised the tax rate the other night!
20 comments:
Heins
You are so full of shit you stink. One thing for sure you don't know what you are talking about and have no knowledge of the sunshine law or any other laws. Here you are knocking the fire board when you were the biggest crook on the school board that did not give a damn for the kids:
Don't tell me you are for real you long legged jack off.
HEY
I am from North County and you are full of it when you say they went after him because he is black. Mr. Walton should be locked up for a long time for what he has done to our fire district.
6:16 Bill,
You are such an elegant writer, not! Can't you do better than that. And that crook thing is so silly. No one's ever accused me of anything whatsoever when I was on the board for good reason. Even when you lied in your little paper and committed perjury in court, you weren't stupid enough to accuse me of that. I'm very proud of my board service. If I don't know about these laws, why does the district change their practices after I catch them! Thank you very much.
5:05 You may be right about Mr. Walton and the north county district. All's I'm saying is it's easier to go after black elected officials cause the Post's readership is mostly white. Why doesn't the Post spend some time looking into the Mehlville Fire Board. They've got a laundry list of problems.
6:41 Yes, I'm for real. Thanks for noticing my long legs.
Mike, just remember that the people that criticize the most are weak individuals and are unwilling to discuss any topic like mature adults. We all know the Bill milligan hates you with uncontrolable passion. He is truly a weak selfish individual. That is desperetly in need of professional help. Mr north county you are simple person with no real opinion on anything. Besides having empty statement your just promoting anger a dissension in the fine community of mehlville. though I truly belive your BADASS Bill who continues to think he is better then everyone else and promotes idiotic trite. Against good people.
who try to look at both sides of the issues in mehlville. enough is enough with the fire dept. The firemen will always be heroes and Bill Milligan will always be the guy who never could. He could'nt keep a marriage going he could'nt avoid letting booze control his life. He is a failure of grand proportion. But hey atleast im not related to him.
Mike
Can you find out why the new chief hates all firefighters? It is very evident the way he treats us. I can't believe that the board would promote a guy that was as lazy as him, all he did when he was on shift was play video games. He also had a few drinks on duty just ask anyone that worked with him.
Can you believe this crap. This is a memo from Chief White.
IRONS
As you know a pressed uniform is to be in your possession at all times. This has to do with the proffessionalism that this Fire District projects. You are sharp and a proffessional, so it is important that you project this image as well. Therefore, it is important that the District provides the tools so you can successfully achieve that goal. Starting today, Dave is beginning the process of distributing Ironing Boards and Irons for all the Fire Houses.
Let me make this perfectly clear. If you are wearing your Dress Uniform Shirt, then it must be pressed. If your Polo Shirt or T Shirt is wrinkled, then the wrinkles must be removed, If there is no individual in your Fire House that knows how to Iron, then contact your Deputy Chief and inform him of the problem and we will address the issue at that time.
Chief Tim White
We at Mehlville are more worried about wrinkles then fighting fires. We are the clowns of St. Louis County thanks to the new Fire Chief. How long is this crap going to go on before someone gets killed.
7:14 He did not just play video games. You are clearly forgetting the prayer meetings!
Oh yes- We are thought of as a circus at the MFPD!
I just talked to a retired chief at another department and he laughed at the goings on in Admin.
It's a shame that Mehlville was once looked upon as a Premier department in the true sense.
Now chief #2 is pulling crap out of a hat and saying that there improving the service.
Iron your shirts! Ha!
When stegman got in they stated that the district finally got AEDs.
That is a lie- They have had them years before the 3 stooges got on the board.
What will be the next lie that comes from the board?
I am not a firefighter nor do I work for the District nor do I know any of the Directors but my question is?
How many changes do you make before you completely ruin a Fire District that was once the best?
4:56 too late to ask the question. The damage is done. Repairing the damage begins with dumping the idiots who have taken us down this mudslide. Then we need a real chief. After that, it will take 10-15 years of careful personnel rebuilding to get back into the game. In the meantime, we are soooo screwed.
4:56: The voters are happy why aren't you?
Most of the voters are clueless and happily so. The rest of us are not.
Lets be correct, some of the voters are happy and most of the voters are totally unware of the crap these people are pulling over there eyes. If they had any knowledge of the idiot the new fire chief was and the amount of turnover at the District the general public would be appauled.
If you people want to get your point to the general public you need to send in letters to the Post and local news papers. Letter to the Editors this way all of the community will see what you have to say.
You are wrong not all of the voters are happy.
If the voters knew what was really going on they would not be happy at all. First of all they should know why the new Chief was appointed and what he is doing to tear down the men and woman who serve so faithly for the fine citizens of the Mehlville Fire District also they would be shocked on what really goes on behind closed doors. Wait and see there will be some real surprises coming down very soon.
Time to Iron my shoe laces!
If you need help with those shoe laces, be sure to contact your Deputy Chief. I'm sure he'd be happy to pop right over and show you how it's done! Maybe the new training officer could offer some suggestions. He might be qualified to teach that. Might.
Will the madness never end?
5:00 Im not doubting you but if you know something you should atleast, give us concerned citizens the oportunity to here what you have to say. I back the employees of this Fire Dept and I want facts. to make it possible for me to help. We need statements of truth by resonable people. Not questionable comments. The facts are the only thing that will show a warrented conclusion about the dealings of this fire board. and the people who run it.
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