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March 11, 2017
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I was so supportive of chief DeMaio, I decided NOT to make a formal complaint about Meadview "volunteers" Steve Berg and Bobby Porzio being DRUNK at the scene of the fire in Meadview that killed Camille.
I told him about it after a town hall meeting in Dolan Springs, but I did not want to burden the new chief with a formal complaint as he was just starting out. But after over two years of chief DeMaio's DISRESPECT not just for me, but for the residents in general, it's time to find someone who actually cares about the people here.
So here is my list and I'll be updating as I remember more issues:
- Chief DeMayo DISRESPECTS the residents.
Countless times have I heard that LMRFD does not HAVE to provide a subscription button at the LMRFD.org website and that they comply with the law. I should take this up with the legislature as it is not appropriate to require residents to make daily 20 mile trips just to see if the post office has a notice about a meeting date/time change.
Of course, this really shows DeMayo's mindset. He does NOT want the residents to show up for meetings. - Chief DeMayo REFUSES to fire his incompetent administrative assistant Karen Jackson and even allowed her to work from home.
I have wondered at the blog several times whether he is the father of Karen's baby or whether he is being blackmailed. I have attended almost all board meetings, yet have NO idea why he refuses to fire Karen. - Chief DeMayo cannot attract volunteers.
In 2008, Meadview had a thriving volunteer fire district and they kicked ass! - Chief DeMayo failed to provide the fire district reports I requested and paid for.
My checks were not cashed and I never got the reports.
March 11, 2017
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- Chief DeMayo failed to budget for major expenses.
At the 8/18 meeting DeMaio informed the board that "the Phillips monitors are going out of service, altogether." The four heart monitors have to be replaced and a special discounted price of $135,712.33 was available for a SHORT time. NO alternatives were presented. No funds were budgeted to replace the monitors. Do we really need FOUR heart monitors? What's next, chief DeMayo?
June 13, 2018
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And, we have been informed at previous meetings that the SCBA's (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) are outdated and need replacing. $100,000 or so there. The 2000 Ford brush truck will need to be replaced soon if it continues to serve as a commute vehicle for the chief from Golden Valley. $85,000 or so there. We were told when the new ambulance was purchased that the only one we had functional was "on its last legs" and it now serves as the second out ambulance. It is a matter of short time before it will need to be replaced. The request will likely be for another new one, so the current first out can move down to second out. Another $200,000 or so there. The contingency fund has shrunk from $93,000 to $4,200 in 2 years. We are picking up more debt that doesn't allow for building of the contingency fund. These are some huge expenditures looming on the horizon, with no visible means of paying for them. Folks, we are on a fast downhill slide. The FD looked good in 2012, lots of equipment sitting around, stations all over the place, lots of personnel on duty. DEBT SUNK US! Our current budget is about $300,000/ year LESS than it was when we went insolvent. We absolutely MUST keep expenditures down while pursuing other sources of revenue.
March 11, 2017
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So true, Ellen.
And I forgot to list chief DeMayo's refusal to comply with Open Meeting laws.
So now that there's finally a semi functioning website, there are hardly any minutes:
There are actually FEWER approved minutes than DRAFT minutes!
Not to mention that the administrative assistant Karen Jackson either incompetently or deliberately omitted a number of issues discussed at the August board meeting:
https://forum.highdesertdirt.com/mohave/2018-august/items-omitted-from-the-lmrfd-draft-minutes/
Incompetence or conspiracy / collusion?
March 11, 2017
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I just moved this topic over to the election issues because it is CRUCIAL that the new board is willing to stop this madness.
- ANOTHER issue: the ongoing debate over ambulance and fire billing, collections and lawsuits.
It's been discussed many times that LMRFD was not billing for refusals etc. Ellen finally convinced the chief to bill for everything, as required by state law. Of course that "required by state law" is very odd because even SMALL Arizona fire districts like Rio Rico provide not just ambulance service, but general medical care to the residents FREE OF CHARGE:
https://forum.highdesertdirt.com/mohave/arizona-community-paramedicine/
My comments on Community Paramedicine:
After reading the LMRFD billing policy, I realize that I can't afford these ambulance rides for THOUSANDS of dollars.
https://lmrfd.org/operational#1954f38a-6c5c-40cc-a424-a24133204a5e
The pdf: 2018-9-18-LMRFD-ambulance-billing-policy.pdf
I better start putting up some signs around my place:
NEVER CALL 911 UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE AMBULANCE.
I don't want bill collectors harassing me and getting a judgment against me because I made the bad choice of moving to Meadview.
Quite frankly, I'd rather die.
My questions:
- Someone is injured. Will I be billed if I call 911?
Does it matter whether that person is at my property or off my property? - How can I ensure that nobody ever calls 911 for me?
I could have an accident, pass out in the heat ... How do I protect myself from this HUGE bill? - How much can someone in Meadview expect to pay for a transport to Kingman with no insurance?
- How much is billed to residents on Medicare?
- How much is billed to residents on AHCCCS?
- How much is billed to residents covered by VA?
LMRFD is doing so poorly because NOBODY has the vision and compassion to bring free routine medical care into our so underserved rural communities.
Apparently nobody in this County understands how business works and that a fire district is no different from any other business.
When you pay HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars for medical equipment, you have to USE it!
On average, LMRFD gets around 50 - 60 calls a month. That's less than 2 calls a day and includes both the Meadview and Dolan stations.
While $12/hr doesn't seem like a lot of money to pay paramedics, they work 48 hour shifts, make $576 and get benefits. And then they have 5 days off and I heard that some of the LMRFD employees also work for other fire districts!
- Chief DeMaio FAILED to figure out how to turn LMRFD around by getting more business.
Paramedics could get paid MORE because they'd actually be WORKING much of the day.
We already documented that an 80+ year old man refused transport to the hospital after a fall because he didn't have the extra cash for the $300 cab ride home from the hospital.
We have many residents living on minimal social security or disability income and this billing policy is so wrong.
Unsurprisingly, many residents move away as soon as they're diagnosed with some illness.
March 11, 2017
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A very interesting article about Eric Gordon, running in the Nov. 6 general election to fill the Superior Court Division 6 judge vacancy.
http://www.mohavedailynews.com.....99492.html
Obviously, don't vote for that sexual predator!
Here's the relevant excerpt relating to chief DeMaio:
...
Bryan Whitney said that Gordon was fired by the Whitney law firm after working there for several months. Gordon was fired for several issues including professionalism, legal knowledge, work ethic, insubordination, inability to handle a minimal caseload and tardiness, Whitney said.
According to Whitney, the main reason Gordon was fired was because he was allegedly engaging in “sexually harassing” behavior with his staff. Another agency that his law firm worked with also reported that Gordon was allegedly “sexually harassing their staff members” and behaved inappropriately.
“We were told that he could no longer be in or around that agency which made it impossible to continue to employ him since we are in or around that agency all the time,” Whiteny said. “Obviously, the behaviors in our office and outside our office were cause for immediate termination and that is the action we took.”
Gordon worked at the Whitney law firm from Oct. 10, 2017, until he was fired June 6.
No charges have been filed against Gordon.
Gordon was also reportedly fired from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, accordin to Whitney.
Gordon told Whitney that he was not given a reason but believed he may have made inappropriate comments about a mother involved in a court case in front of other female staff members, Whitney said.
AGO Communications Division Chief Ryan Anderson confirmed Gordon’s employment through July 10, 2017 but said he could not comment further without pulling his personnel file.
...
It is SO important that there is a RECORD of professionals that are fired.
I hope we'll find out why Gordon was fired from the AG's office and whether / why DeMaio and Jackson were fired from the Golden Valley fire district.
After all, it is makes NO sense for DeMaio and Jackson to want to work in Dolan Springs when they live in Golden Valley / Kingman.
SOMETHING must have happened!
March 11, 2017
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While chief DeMaio finally resigned, it is important to list the REASONS why the board "forced him out." So much slander of the board on Facebook by people who have NO idea what's going on.
Incredibly, DeMaio could NOT prepare an equipment replacement schedule.
Ellen Reh-Bower prepared the schedule FOR him, discussed with the chief during a board meeting equipment, cost and life expectancy.
Ellen volunteered HER time because chief DeMaio is THAT incompetent.
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