Just Wondering Wednesday: Fire Chief fired?
Published by Kristy March 21st, 2007 in News, Site.A MonticelloLive reader asked:
“Is it true that the Mayor just fired the Fire Chief and hired a friend of his…one that apparently did alot of work for him on his campaign, instead of going to the next person in line?”
MonticelloLive confirmed that Wendell Ply was dismissed from his job as Monticello’s Fire Chief on Friday, March 16.
Wendell Ply told Monticello Live, “The mayor came to me Friday morning and said that he wants the fire department to go in a different direction and he had someone else in mind for the job.” Many city officials are appointed by the mayor so it is his prerogative as to who is Fire Chief. Ply related that this had nothing to do with him personally but rather was a decision to simply hire someone else for the job.
When asked about the new Fire Chief, Curtis Donaldson, and what happened on Friday, Mayor Joe Rogers said, “I don’t discuss personnel issues.”
When asked about the direction he wants the fire department to take he replied, “That’s a personnel issue.”
Donaldson took over Monday morning and told MonticelloLive that he’s had ten and a half years experience as a fireman. When asked about his involvement in the mayor’s recent election campaign he said, “No comment.” As far as the new direction for the department, he doesn’t know just yet. He said, “It’s still early and it’s not all lined out about which way we want to go with that.”
Possibly Related:
95 Responses to “Just Wondering Wednesday: Fire Chief fired?”
- 1 Pingback on Jul 24th, 2007 at 4:07 am
Sounds a little fishy to me…why no one will say what the direction is or what the purpose of the change was.
Was Mr. Ply not doing his job? were there not other people ON the fire department who could replace him?
It seems as if our mayor is repaying an act of some sort for his being elected mayor. If you talke with MOSt of the fire department members now, they will agree with this!
I am questioning the judgement of Mayor Rodgers at this point.
first off the bat trying to tear down historic landmarks…second trying to build a recreation Center in the middle of a historic district. The Center, if you study out, the up keep and the standing situiation of the building over a period of time b/c of its use deterioates to a less attractive, which leads to the deteriation of a town that is already in a Mess.
but as a public how and what can we do …we were the ones that put him in office? or am I the only one questioning the judgment of the mayor so far?
Controversy on the horizon…..for good reason.
amen, KT.
I agree with Steve. We put this man in office for the next four years what all is he going to mess up before he is out of office. We all know that he will be a one termer.
It is not fair what he did to Mr. Ply. It was for revenge not for the love of the job. He is way out of line and Mr. Ply did not deserve what he did to him at all. We all as a community need to do something about our “new mayor” and his ideas.
Since when is the status and planning of a public safety office a “personal issue”?!? Mr. Wendell performed his duty well and provided no resean for dismissal. He has always been a kind man and a dedicated city official. I am starting to feel as though my move out of Monticello was well-timed. This mayor obiviously has a personal agenda; one which apparently does not encompass the citizens of the city.
i don’t agree with any of you…
I am good friends with alot of the firemen & my husband was once a volunteer. None of you see what went on behind the scenes. ply got what was coming to him & it has been coming for quite some time. anderson was just too chicken to do anything about it. rogers did not fire ply just to get his friend in the position. it was just a matter of time.
just get the facts straight before you start giving opinions.
Mr. Ply, although a good man, never needed to be Fire chief. he not only endagered the lives of many fire and public safety personel but also the public on many different occasions. It was about time the Mayor of this town did his job.
Look, this is not a personnel issue, but a personal issue. The newly appointed Fire Chief was in fact a friend of the Mayor’s and rented space from the Mayor’s shopping Center. Two rumors circulated during the campaign: 1, to replace Tommy Free and 2, to replace Wendall Ply. Good decision? Maybe, maybe not.
Wendell Ply has more than 10 years with the fire department, and was very loyal and dedicated to his job. He worked hard daily, and to be honest did the best with what he had to see that the fire department was ran properly. Now, will Mr. Donaldson do the same? Who knows. Probably. All we can do is give him a chance. This call was totally up to the Mayor and that is pretty much it. Not that Curtis will make a better Chief than Wendell, but it was just a change the Mayor wanted. Some things are better left alone, and I think this should have been one of them; however it was not our call. However, the evidence points that this was a personal change the Mayor wanted, and that it was in the making during the campaign and was just a matter of time before it happended.
Since when is the direction of a city department a “personal issue?” Shouldn’t that be a public issue? Don’t we all want to know what direction our tax dollars are being spent on? Sure, there’s more to this story than is posted but I think we’re in for a bumpy ride. It’s pitiful that a Mayor can lay someone off like this & then say “no comment.” How convenient.
Before I made firefighting my career, I worked alongside both Wendell and Curtis as a member of the Monticello Fire Department and I wish the very best for both of them. I really hope that discussion of this issue — and, boy, does it need discussion — does not erode into personal attacks or posts of hearsay about either man.
As I understand it, department heads serve at the pleasure of the mayor. So, all along, we could have had mayors hiring and firing fire chiefs if they wanted. I guess we just got used to the stability of the position — Jack Carson was chief for 28 years and was followed by Raymond Chisom for 16. Unfortunately, the fire department is not immune from politics.
What worries me about this entire process is the mayor’s secrecy. Sure, personnel issues are not generally open for public discussion… But the replacement of a department head — especially public safety positions like police or fire chief — should be. Either explain the reasons why you are getting rid of the old chief or brag about the reasons why you’ve hired the new one. Simply to avoid comment suggests that something is going on under the table and neither Curtis or Wendell deserve that cloud over this change in leadership.
As I’m no longer a member of the fire department, I can’t pretend to know what is best for them. However, I know that the only good governement is a transparent government… And if the mayor continues to practice the “no comment” routine, the decisions at City Hall will be as transparent as mud.
Bill, I totally agree with you. I know the first hand stories of Mr. Ply “running around like a chicken” at each fire shouting orders that put our fireman and volunteers in direct danger! Sure he was good at “paperwork” but the lives of the department and those directly involved in the fire should be the focus here. I do feel sorry for Mr. Ply being so close to his retirement and losing his position with all its benefits.
I DO also feel that Mr. Ply losing his job was a personal strike from Mr. Donaldson himself being removed from the department no long ago. Who fired Mr. Donaldson?? Why, Mr. Ply did!
Think about it!
Anyone want to get started on the Police Cheif getting fired the FIRST day Mr. Rogers took office?? LOL!
M.R.
First, where are these “facts”? All I see is your opinion which would seem to be very bitter, indeed. Second, as a matter of fact, I have had an intimate knowledge of the fire department as well as what goes on “behind the scenes” for almost 15 years, which is more than Donaldson has even been a firefighter. And finally, you must obviously know something that the rest of us don’t as your comment hints that you know and understand Rogers precise reasoning behind Ply’s dismissal. Please share because obviously Rogers won’t.
Bill
I never meant to imply that Ply was a perfect fire chief. That is far more than any of us can ever hope to achieve. And, granted, I am sure that some of his decisions proved poor and possibly even potentially harmful. But, one must certainly consider the job that has to be done by anyone in public safety. There are no commitees when fires arise. There isn’t time to vote on options. There can’t be any proposals about how best to deal with each scenario. In public safety, there is only Act and React. These men and women have to consider the costs and benefits of their reactions in a very short period of time, and are often forced to make a choice that may still prove harmful to avoid and even greater disaster. It is my opinion that Wendell Ply did just that. It’s quite possible that in the same moments of chaos, any other fire chief would have responded the same way.
No matter what your personal opinion about Ply, his dismissal still appears very shady.
Kellie
i agree with you no one’s perfect. but in this line of work you do have to consider the cost and benefits of your reactions in a split second. And there is no room for errors and second quessing and the times I was able to witness Mr. Ply’s abilitys it was nothing but chaos and panic…..that’s the difference between someone that is capable of doing that job and someone that’s not. There are a ton of great and dedicated fireman, law enforcement, and safety personal that are well qualified for the job, but only a few that are capable of leading others.
I have been sorely displeased with the direction in which Mr. Rogers has been leading us since his election. This is the straw that seems to have broken the camel’s back. For us to have to follow this kind of leadership for four years seems to be rediculous to say the least. Especially when he will not give a good reason for the firing in the first place. Anyone who is man enough to fire someone ought to have a good reason and be willing to state it publickly.
First of all I have to say personally I am glad that the “fire chief” was replaced, it should have happened the first day the Mayor took office. I have seen Wendell in action at fires & I can tell you it is an absolute MIRACLE that a firefighter wasn’t injured due to his lack of knowledge. A firefighter needs to be “on his toes” at all times, thinking clearly, NOT running around like a chicken with his head cut-off!!!!! The chief should NEVER put his men down in public! If there is a problem address it in one of the two monthly meetings that the fire dept. holds. Which by the way has been a waste of time for the most part, again because of Wendell.You appoint a training officer becasue he has the educational background to TRAIN….hense meeting nights. Maybe the citizens of Monticello think it is ok to let an elderly woman climb a city ladder to get a cat from a tree (YES WENDELL refused to let the firefighter climb the ladder he let the lady……. If you are not going to be a chief at least BE A MAN) or to cut the door post of a vehicle when that is the only thing keeping the vehicle off the person trapped inside it!!!!!! Should I go on…….so if you have never had to get up from a family meal at a resturant or leave a buggy full of groceries at WalMart beacuse there is a fire or wreck that your spouse has just been paged too, then keep your comments and/or confusion to yourself!!!! If you have not been or are not directly involved with the fire department then you have NO IDEA what is going on!!!!!!!! I am thankful that we have a new firechief, reguardless of who he voted for mayor…… We ahould all be thankful that we have such dedicated firefighters here who leave their families when the page is sent (no matter what time day or night) & risk their lives to protect us!!!!!!
” I really hope that discussion of this issue — and, boy, does it need discussion — does not erode into personal attacks or posts of hearsay about either man.”
Well, I tried…
Misty:
We are allowed to be confused,we are allowed to speak our opinions…whether we are directly involved with the inner workings of the fire department or not.We do not need someone’s permission.These are our rights,as is yours for being offended by people’s personal opinions.I don’t have one either way,I know both Mr.Donaldson and Mr.Ply only by name and nothing more,but nonetheless the manner this situation was approached does in fact seem a bit shady and secretive.It should not be so.
I totaly agree with K.T.’s statements of being shady and secretive. When I started this discussion it was not the issue of Mr. Ply’s character or his actions as fire chief….nor the characteristics of the new chief. the discussion is due to the fact that things are being handeld by the new mayor in SHADY ways. and thus the concern lies. NOT who or what a person did or did not do as fire cheif. BUT the fact that the Mayor is refusing to answer questions, and the fact that the new fire chief and mayor do not seem to have an answer as to WAHT THE DIRECTION IS! WAKE Up and see the issue…quit looking at the person but what is happening with our city!
Please understand that the original article has nothing to do with “personal issues” but with “personnel”.
To all,
If you are concerned about the secretive decisions being made with no public explanations then you should call the Mayor’s office and ask him! (367-4400) You have every right to be concerned! You deserve an explanation….if you want it.
But, please understand the spouses of those that had to serve beneath Mr. Ply have had huge concerns for a very long time. To be frank, it probably wouldn’t matter to many of us if the department was turned over to a cartoon character as long as our husbands were being kept as safe as possible.
To an outsider, these may appear to be personal attacks. Believe me, they are FACTS. Misty has mentioned several things that, I would think, would conern you as well! I’m shocked that you would dismiss the safety of ALL OF OUR FIREMEN over only one being replaced!
My point being, you have your concerns and we have ours. They’ve ended up tangled in one discussion. Please allow us to voice our long time concerns along with yours.
Please ask yourself this: If your house was on fire with your entire family trapped inside….would you want a steady professional doing his best to bring them our safely while keeping the firemen safe….OR would you want to know how he got his job?
Again, think about it.
Jane..
AGAIN look at what my topic of discussion was for the start of this..
Quit making it a personal action against Mr. Ply.
if you have questions or concerns aobut that..then ask questions about that on here in the section entitled…Just wondering wednesday’s. WE arent here to discuss the actions of the former fire cheif.and yes safety is a concern. BUt waht started this was is it being handled in an appropriate manner. Is what the mayor of this town doing RIGHT FOR OUR TOWN.
Not who or why or what Mr. Ply may or may not have done. What is happenign with our city government? what is happening with our Town vision??? these things we are after.
The mayor is a public servant elected by the people and as such should answer questions from the public, not tell them to piss off. I’m sure he’s having a good laugh about this. This “new” direction probably leads to his house address in some way.
What does everyone want the Mayor to say? Hirings and dismissals occur every day in both the private and public sector. Details aren’t always given for dismissals because of legal reasons. Just because he didn’t give a reason doesn’t mean something was done under the table.
I don’t have any knowledge of the inner workings of the Fire Department. However, the Mayor should. I don’t know the reasons why the Mayor relieved Mr. Ply of his duties as Fire Chief. There is obviously speculation by many here as to why he did it. If, and I stress IF, the reasons are as has been speculated upon here are correct, the Mayor has acted as most employers would have and should have acted if someone was dismissed for “poor performance”. If his stated reason is correct and had nothing to do with Mr. Ply’s performance as the Fire Chief, he has a right not make those reasons public, even though his is an elected official. If his reasons were because of a “performance issue”, I imagine Mr. Ply is appreciative of how the Mayor has handled this. They are probably the only two people who know.
Don’t get me wrong, everyone has a right to question the decisions of our elected officials but be realistic with regards to this situation. Would everyone have felt better if the Mayor blasted Mr. Ply publicly for his inability to perform his job? Again, I am unaware of whether this is true or not. If he did so, everyone would have have been critical of that action also. Just because he did not air this out and tried to spin it with moving in a “new direction” doesn’t mean it was shady.
There are avenues to address everyone’s concerns. Call city hall, contact your local alderman, attend a city council meeting. That is how we can stand up and let our voices be heard. We should let our elected officials know our thoughts concerning their actions. However, it seems that we have begun to criticize the Mayor actions just for the sake of criticism. We didn’t exactly break the doors down getting out to vote in the election for Mayor.
I agree with Micheal Cossey lets not let this sight be post personal attacks against individuals. Expecially those of you who don’t know either of them. Because of the way our system is set up it puts on man against another in an election forceing around half the town to like someone and the other to like the man who got out voted. So there will be an always be a difference of opinions. Mayor Rogers was put in office becouse the majority of us felt he could do the job. We need to trust him and stand behind him in his actions.
For those who want to make this a political issue need to find out why Mr Ply. obtain the job in the fist place and why he fired Mr. Donaldson without any reason. Hint POLITICS
For those who want to look at the facts might consider why Mr Ply received so many complaints from citizens. Or why he peronal put the lives of firefighters in jeoperdy (wich i peronally have witnessed) He was also written up by previous fire cheif Raymond Chisom. Do the voices of the previous worried wives not speak loud enough. Mr. Ply like him or not was not cut out to be fire cheif.
Mr. Rogers said he is trying to move in another direction. He might not of said what direction but it seems obvious, a direction that is for the better of the community. Don’t fear change accept it for it is necessary for impovement.
To all of those wives of firefighters leaving messages, you are all wrong…See how you feel after you husband has been with the department as long as Mr. Ply or Mr Davis have, then you might really know what your talking about, Mr. Ply has 25 and a half years as a firefighter and Mr. Davis 15 years. When you husband or spouse has been with the department that long, you will understand the question put before the forum…I have been a firefighters wife for 15 years. The question at hand is what direction is Mr. Rogers wanting to lead the city in, why is it kept a secret from the rest of us. What is going on with that…
We forget Curtis Donaldson was fired for not doing his job in the first place, hiding when it was time to work, not wearing the correct unifroms, disappering on the job during a fire, putting other firefighters life in danger to spare his own. I personally have first hand knowledge of what you can expect out of Curtis in an emerengcy situation. I hope the City of Monticello will have better luck with Curtis this time around.
My hope for you, is that your husbands will not have to go through this after they have been with the department as long as Wendall Ply and Ricky Davis have. Look at it this way, what if your husband gets fired or demoted when a new Mayor takes office and the fire department “babies” or crying over your husband because they think he’s not doing something right.
After your husband puts in 15 to 26 years and then gets fired and loses his retirement, after all the years he has risked his life to help others.
Then I believe you will then have a true perspective of the question at hand…
Just wondering? Diane do you know what slander and libel mean?
If this is slander and libel and would that mean that wendell is bring libeled and slandered too?
Look, we can discuss this issue all day long, but unless you have been “involved” with the fire department first hand, you have no place to speak of its past, present or future events. Point is, the Mayor has the call of who serves as Fire and Police Chief. For the most part, cities all across our country have change in personnel each time a new administration comes in. The issue here is that Monticello has become comfortable with what they have had, and the change is bringing on a fire storm of its own. Now, I think Wendell and Curtis are both great individuals, but regardless of who I like, or who you like, it is at the discretion of the Mayor. Now, what direction does he want the fire department to head in? What was wrong with the direction it was going in? Speaking from living in this town for almost 30 years, the only thing in that fire department that has changed is updated trucks,(other than chiefs) and that didn’t happen until the past ten years or so. From my stand point changing chiefs isn’t going to change the direction of the department. The department needs money to change, and unless that happens, the department will continue to go the direction it has been in the past. In six months, why don’t some of you look at the department again, and see what kind of direction it has gone in. I am sure it will be right where it is today. Let me quote a wise person who made a comment earlier…..” I really hope that discussion of this issue — and, boy, does it need discussion — does not erode into personal attacks or posts of hearsay about either man.” Seems to me, that is all this debate is about. People with personal grudges, or who wish to make personal attacks on individuals.
We want to encourage readers to voice concerns about broader issues in the new forums here.
First off, who said anything about Ricky Davis? Ricky Davis is still not only active in his job, but is still the Assistant Fire Chief. Because Ricky is a close personal friend of Wendell Ply, you assume that his job is being threatened. If anyone has threatened his job, I assure you it’s him. I’m sure that Curtis Donaldson has no intention of firing anyone who is actively doing their job. I know Curtis very well and believe that he is a very capable fire chief. He will do more than what you expect of him, and will surrender his life if it means saving another. I don’t Know about ya’ll , but thats a hero in my book. Now about the “personal” “personell” situation. If Mayor Rogers had a personal issue with the firing of his friend Curtis, don’t you think that he would have fired Wendell at the very first of the year? It has long been that a new mayor could replace the police or fire chief at his will. Yes he replaced Tommy Free at the first of the year, but he did not do so to Wendell. Instead He waited to see how Wendell would do. Well, as Misti Pointed out, he didn’t do so well. Wendell put himself out of a job, and came real close to leading this city into an snow storm of law suits because of his inability to perform his job. The replacing of Wendell Ply, I assure you was not Personal. The Mayor did the best thing he could do for the future of Monticello. We should all support his decisions, wether or not we agree with them. Call him voice your concerns. But respect the fact that the majority of us Put him in this Office.
While I admittedly made the initial error in reading of “personal” vs. “personnel”, I still contend that there is a bit of both within this issue which should most certainly be sorted out and quickly before tempers flair out of control completely.
Was the Mayor’s choice reflective of “personnel issues”? If so, we as a community have the right to have our questions answered. If the decision was made on behalf of the future of Monticello, there shouldn’t be a need for Rogers’s lack of response.
On the other hand, if the choice was a matter of personal interest, then it would seem even more important that the Mayor’s office at least provide some sort of explanation as to his appointment. Otherwise, he leaves the door wide open for speculation.
A leader’s first priority is to the people of his community; those who CHOSE him for the job. Unfortunately, Mr. Rogers seems to have lost that somewhere. Perhaps it is time for the citizens of Monticello, be they homebased or homesick, to remind him. Call him on it! There have been about 30 opinions expressed here alone; each and every one important; that should be addressed to the Mayor himself.
For the most part, the decision has been made and impemented. Joe Rogers has that power. Now, all that any of us can hope for is a positive outcome for our city as a whole.
as a resident of monticello for less than 5 years, i cannot speak to the qualifications of mr. ply or mr. donaldson. however, i would like to address the situation in general. it would seem to me that if the city would put in place a civil service system, it would take most of the politics out of the hiring and firing of public servants in this town. civil service is based mainly on merit (measured at least in part through civil service exam scores), and most civil service statutes forbid public employees from participating in political activities while performing public duties.
i understand that in a town as small as ours that the money does not exist to pay people to serve on a civil service commission, but perhaps that is something that could be incorporated into the job descriptions of our aldermen. considering that i’ve read comments talking about terms of service of past and present public safety employees ranging from 15-25 years, i would think that the system wouldnt be terribly burdensome to our board of aldermen. another option might be to have a volunteer commission.
the bottom line is that the more people there are involved in the process, the less chance there is of the appearance of favoritism and politics creeping into the system. this way, our city leaders and department heads can all keep above the fray.
First off, you are wrong about the Mayor replacing Wendell at the beginning of the year. He had to replace Tommy b/c tommy quit Dec 31, and there was no police chief. Second, he didn’t replace Wendell right off b/c of issues with him (Joe) and Curtis. There were other things that needed to be ironed out. The Mayor wasn’t giving Wendell extra time to “prove himself” as a chief, he was simply waiting until time was right for both him and Curtis. Now, to name Curtis as a “hero” that is being a little partial to him, don’t you think? We should look at all firefighters as heros b/c they all risk their life when necessary. The question here isn’t who is a hero or who isn’t. Or who will get fired or who won’t. The question is, was this a personnel decision or a personal issue? The answer is that this was personal. That is fine, but as Michael stated earlier, the Mayor should be inclined to answer for his decisions, and he should answer to the people who put him in office.
A quote from Diane “To all of those wives of firefighters leaving messages, you are all wrong…”. Maybe you should print that on a t-shirt and walk into the fire department!
Have you fallen off your rocker lady??? Don’t you dare tell me that my husband has to serve on the department for 15 years before I have to right to be concerned or am entitled to an opinion OR am able to understand the danger he has faced working for Wendall!!! I am outraged!
J.S. hit the nail on the head with you. Ricky Davis??? Are you talking about Wendell’s wing man that sleeps all day at the station and can’t pass any physical exam??? Does he ever actually enter a fire and risk his life?? I think not! He sits on the sidelines while MY HUSBAND goes in!! So I guess you really never had to worry about him being killed!
Your husband’s life and future are no more important than mine!!! You need to get that straight! Maybe if your husband did enter more fires he would understand that Wendell was not the right person to have his back!
To get back to the “original topic”…maybe those of us who have have “changed the subject” really don’t care WHY Wendell was replaced! We’re just glad he’s gone! With him gone, I honestly can’t see how the department can do anything but improve or go in a “new direction”.
Also, being “against” Wendell doesn’t make you “for” Curtis.
Josh,
Do you really think that Tommy Free quit? Maybe he was given the option to bow out gracefully or else be terminated?
Wow!!! I leave town for a couple of days without checking the site….and look at all the fun I’ve missed! I’m so excited about the community involvement here!!
Regarding the New Appointment: Though I do not agree with some of the mayor’s proposed changes, I’m not against anyONE. The Fire Chief Position - good, bad, or otherwise, has been and will continue to be subject to dismissal any time the mayors position changes. This is something known by the person in the position when they take the position. This IS something we as the community have given power to the Mayor to do.
If you have differences in opinion of the people the mayor has assigned for his “staff”……I hope you consider yourself human, because we will never all agree on such things.
Taking a large step backward from the issue(looking at the “Big Picture”), I notice the problem is VERY centralized and has very little to do with the growth and maturation of our community. Yes, this appointment will directly affect the few people on staff at the fire station, but where the community is concerned, there are certain things that have to be done by the Fire Chief and/or the Fire Station…..these things will be done for the community no matter who is elected in this position.
Don’t be afraid to lose a couple battles……remain your focus on the War.
Ok STOP..
why do we attack each other..that is not the point..
NO PERSONAL ATTACKS..NO personal situations.
JUST STOP..
AGAIN the point “where is the vision of our city going”
If you have issues with something ABOUT SOMEONE…find anohter outlet..
QUIT gossiping and trying to hurt people aand atack people..this is not what this page is for!
For those of you who hav issues with the fire department….or people working there take it to them.
For me my question was…WHY did this happen, can we have a simple explination..NOT who did waht..NOR what a person’s character is like!For you JANE…SHAME on you..Dont attack people or ANYONE WHO FIGHTS FOR OUR LIVES>>>NO matter your opinion!
so again..STOP TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE!!! and look at the issue at hand…
Well before the election last May, many “insiders” knew that if elected, Joe Rogers would let Tommy Free go, and Wendell Ply. The police chief and fire chief were David Anderson appointments….the new mayor would appoint his own “loyal” people. It was NO surprise when Tommy Free left…however, I was surprised that Wendell Ply didn’t go sooner. I understand that Wendell visited with the new mayor to ask for his job to continue…however, it was a matter of time before Curtis became the new chief.
I don’t have a problem with either of those appointments. I do have a problem with the new mayor disbanding the parks and rec commission. Why doesn’t he disband the city council too? They also slow him down getting things done. I think it’s a hugh mistake taking power from the people and giving it to one person..
If shame should be put on me then SO BE IT. Our opinions should not be considered lesser based on years served. My husband has been willing to trade his life for the public daily!
Let me start off by saying this…if you are not a member of the firedepartment your self, and I don’t mean a wife, then you have no idea of what is going on. Unless you are at the station or on the trucks when there is a fire or wreck or whatever the reason that our firefighters are called out then you have no right to comment on the situation. All you have is hear say and that is it. A lot of people giving your commits on something that they know nothing about.
And as for Misty, what do you mean saying all that stuff about Mr. Ply? When your husband does not show up for everything and he does not even have more than five years with the department. You all need have the facts straight before you start running your head.
Also, if it was the fact that Mr. Ply was not doing his job that would be ok for them to get rid of him, but that is not the reason and the mayor is too chicken to stand up and give his “real” reason behind it.
All we can do is set back and watch and see what happens and how the new Fire Chief “holds up” at a real fire and a “real bad situation”. Let’s just hope that his 5 or 6 years that he has been a firefighter will not get anyone hurt or killed.
As for Jane, I am sure that Diane was not saying that b/c your spouse has not been there for more than 15 years he is not special and his life does not the mean the same as Ricky’s. Because no matter how little or how long they have been on there they are special and most of them would lay down their lives for us as a community.
Let’s all face it..the mayor has made his decision and there is nothing we can do about it, but PRAY. That is what we all need to be doing is PRAYING. We need to Pray that all of our firefighters young and old are safe and that Mr. Donaldson and Mr. Mayor can sleep at night knowing that the decisoins that they made may not have been the right ones.
I have a question coming from a person who knows nothing about the running of the fire department.
If there were issues (coming from the fire fighters themselves) with the fire chief during Mayor Anderson’s term did they ever go direct to the Mayor to voice their concerns?
To “MR”
I did give facts that is the problem……The TRUTH hurts…….odd that you can call someone a chicken but you only give initials and not your name….I gave my name….And on the subject of my husband, he does not make every call, those paged out during the day when he is at his 2nd job (which is usually out of town) does not allow him to go. And yes he has not been there for years like some of the others, so does that mean he is less of a firefighter than the ones who have been there longer……. Since you seem to know so much about me & my husband, then you should know how to contact me/us if you would like to continue this conversation. I will happy to oblige you!!!!!! Have a GREAT day.
By the way when you call me/us make sure you have your yearly percentage of “fire calls” it would be interesting to compare!!!!!!!
Hmmm. If Mr. Ply was “dismissed” because the Fire Department needs a new direction, don’t we as the citizens of Monticello deserve to know what direction he means? This remark “I dont discuss personal issues” is BS. It is our business. Anything that affects Monticello as a city, affects us all. I want to know what is the new direction, and why couldnt Mr. Ply get us there.
Melissa
One more thingy… Fire Fighterd have a dangerous job. They knew this when they chose this as a career. One man could not possibly put everyones life in danger without going through the ranks.
when do wives of firefighters become experts in the field.. pillow talk always screws things up. remember that
Melissa - no one here has claimed to be an expert in any field.
I don’t know what it’s like to fight a fire. I don’t know what it’s like to go into a burning house. I don’t know what it’s like to handle dead bodies. I don’t know what it’s like to sacrifice my family for other people. I also don’t know what it’s like to fear for my life when I hear a pager go off.
BUT
I do know what it’s like to to be afraid of my husband fighting a fire. I do know what it’s like to be afraid that that he may not walk out of the house he just went into. I do know what it’s like to have a husband who can’t sleep, eat or talk after witnessing tragic deaths. I do know what it’s like to come 2nd to other people when they need my husband more than I do. I know what it’s like to hear the stories he often tells me. I know what it’s like to see pictures of events that have happened (often very disturbing). I also know what it’s like to be AFRAID if he hasn’t called in awhile.
So no, I’m not an expert in the field of firefighting. But I am an expert in being a fireman’s wife and supporting him thru all the events he must endure. I am an expert in being home alone with my children most of the time. I am an expert in attending family functions alone because my husband waits for YOU to need him. He misses supper, birthdays, Chirstmas, and many of the small things we all cherish for YOU.
So, this pillow talk you mentioned. I cherish it.
Melissa
last time I had pillow talk it didn’t involve such horiffic conversation!!!!!
I agree that firefighters new the danger of the position when they chose that career. But does that mean they should have such problems as described in this forum? Ok on the mayor issue, do you or anyone of us know the reason people lose their jobs at WalMart, that is a public store???? I doubt it!!! I am sure that Mr. Ply was not the first city employee to be “relieved” of his duties, did you all question those positions also? SO what if Mayor Rogers knew Mr. Donaldson on a personal level, then he should know without a doubt what kind of man he is, his job ethics, people skills, etc. We voted the Mayor in, so let’s just let him do his job!
By the way if I was a firefighters wife I would just be thankful he was home for pillow talk!
I am not a wife of a fire fighter, but I am a daughter of one. I too know what you are discribing. Fire fighting did not chose your husband, he chose it, just like my father did. I also have worked as a volunteer, and an EMT. The job is very demanding. (probably why the divorce rate is so high). NO ONE is PERFECT. We all make mistakes and unfortunatly, it causes a death or a severe injury. If you are this distraught over your husband working as a fire fighter, I suggest ya’ll discuss the possibility of him finding other employment. I am proud that my father helps protect me and others. I am glad that he is there for everyone. I never had a problem with it.
I don’t have a problem with it. I love him….so I worry. Simple.
My city taxes do not pay wal mart employees..i chose to shop their, therefore my money helps pay salaries. i do not have a choice (other than move out of the city limits) when paying my taxes.
Dean made some good points in his earlier comments. You can visit the Arkansas Municiple League website for additional information on the mayor/council form of municiple government. A Civil Service Commission is something that can be enacted by the city council.
Remember, we all knew what the powers of the mayor were with Monticellos current system when we voteed back in November.
The “spoils” of politics are common, not uncommon.
Jane, why don’t you get off your high horse. Everyone in Monticello knew that during the election, two things were going to happen if Joe Rogers won. One, was to replace Tommy Free, and the other was to replace Wendell Ply. If you missed those two points, then you must have not paid much attention during the election. Tommy Free was quoted many times that if Mayor Anderson was not re-elected he would be leaving. It was no secret on the part of Tommy or Joe Rogers. The Mayor had to fill the police chief position the day he took office because there wasn’t one. He didn’t have to fill the fire chief b/c Wendell wasn’t going to quit. He was going to stay until he was fired, not replaced, but fired and that is exactly what happended. Now, it is up to the Mayor of his appointments and no one else. If you, or anyone else thinks that this event of replacing the fire chief is some big surprise and just stuns you, then you must have your head in the sand. Everyone in Monticello knew it was coming, including the old chief and the new one, it was just a matter of time.
The issues of the replcement is not “wow, look what the Mayor did,” b/c we all knew it was going to happen. The issue is, why won’t the Mayor discuss the change, and to be honest, was Wendells replacement really the best choice? No matter how you look at it, it WAS a PERSONAL choice of the Mayor and as stated in an earlier comment, he chose someone who was “loyal” to him and his campaign.
libel n. A false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person’s reputation.
Who cares even if it was a personal choice. If I were elected to an office I know I would want someone who was loyal to me. Every one of you would too. It’s human nature to keep things as comfortable for your self as possible when in a new environment. everyone is groaning that Mayor Rogers should have stated a reason behind his decision, but if you take a step back and look at this thread, the reason is plain and simple. Mayor rogers didn’t have to come out and say it. Wendell simply lost sight of his career. nothing more. If I lost focus on a job, I would lose it too. So would all of you. I feel despite what anyone thinks that Curtis may have been a personal choice, but it was the right one. All the accusations made about him in this thread have been what Mr. Cossey put so well as being personal attacks to discredit him, just because of some hurt feelings. I say enough is enough. the whole start of this was focused on the mayors direction for this city, not to badger one another or provoke ill feelings. Mayor Rogers is a major supporter for sports and recreation. We all knew that through his efforts with babe ruth. It shouldn’t be a suprise that he was going to focus the majority of his attention to the parks areas. God knows it needed attention. But now that thats nearing completion. Mayor Rogers has broadened his intentions to the general well being of this town. mainly by proposing the municipal complex formerly known as W.C. Whaley. Well it’s about time. Don’t you see? He is doing these thing to benefit us, not himself. The property needed to have something done before some more serious damage might have occured. Yes, it’s in the historic district. But that wasn’t Mayor Rogers decision to buy the property, but it was and is his decision to make it better.We all need to be more patient with Mayor Rogers, and trying to “stir the pot” just relax and let it simmer, everythings going to be alright
Josh! My head in the sand?? LOL!! You don’t think I knew or support the decisions that Joe Rogers has made?? I’m on a high horse for thinking the exact same thing you have stated. That’s just funny to me!
Jane: You don’t think the same as I if you think Tommy Free was given the chance to bow out gracefully or get fired. It wasn’t going to work that way. He was never given such opportunity.
However, regardless of who thinks what, the appointment was made and was in the right of the Mayor. Now, was it a good choice? That remains to be seen. BUT, the Mayor DOES have a responsibility to the citizens of this town to answer for what he does regardless of who thinks it is right or wrong. The problem here is that the Mayor is keeping quiet on things, and this isn’t the first “silent treatment” he has given the public for something he has done.
All i have to say is that ive been around the MFD since i was 3 i kno what goes on and i know both mens character they are both great men, but the comments deriogetory towards my father and Mr. Ply is wrong yall are mostly grown men and women and yall are acting like 3 year olds squabbling over a rubber toy, for the people making malicious attacks against my father and Mr. Ply who i kno very well shame on you that is not right. Misty other than someone saying woo doesnt show up to fires bc of his job and Jane please don’t ever talk to like my mother like that again that is immature and dumb. It is outragous to be fighting the way yall grown people are. Quit arguing about the situation and take action if you dont like the way things are goin go to the next city council meeting speak your voice it is your constitutional right to. I have been around the fire dept and concsious of what is going on probably longer than most of the wives on this forum. Degrading a man the way yall have is incenitive and unfair. I mean I strongly dont agree with the personal changer of Mr. Donaldson becoming chief after only 6 years of service. In every other town in America a man has to have at least 10 years of service and taken all the right exams.
I always dreamed of being a firefighter in this city, but they way yall are talking about the ability of the men and womens character and ability to save this town during crisis it makes me not want to.
Oh and jane please tell me your husbands name and if u have a problem with me and my mother:Diane, i will gladly give you both of our numbers so we can discuss then in a civilized personal manner
Been there - I don’t know you or your mother so there is no “problem” with either of you. I did feel that your mother was talking down to me, my husband as well as others who have not been involved as long as she. She probably did not intend to make me feel quite the way she did. Nevertheless, it did hurt. I do apoligize for the direction my outburst went. As I mentioned several days ago, I do feel sorry for Wendell, as a person, losing his job. I could not imagine being in his position. But at the same time, I do agree with his dismissal based on “the job”, not him personally.
Swallowing all pride….I’m very sorry if I have personally “hurt” you. Please believe me when I say that it was not my intention.
I don’t think that Jane or anyone else who has commented has meant to cause hurt feelings over this. A man lost his job for a reason he had no control over, and another man has a big task to handle the department.
We need to get back to the issue. Rather we agree with each other or not on the firing of Wendell and the appointment of Curtis, the fact remains that this was a campaign promise that was fullfilled, and that the Mayor won’t comment to the public. We should look at this issue as a whole, and not just on this one item. There are other things that have not involved the citizens (THE VOTERS) such as the last minute public meeting, the head strong decision to tear down the current municipal building, and others. A public servant as a Mayor has to give an account to the people of his city, and not just in special meetings that he calls with people of his liking to attend. Here’s an idea, the county judge gives a weekly update of what he does and whaaat kind of work his crew does each week, why can’t the Mayor do that? I am sure the Advance would be glad to print one additional column. Jeff might even be willing to run both columns on Monticello live, who knows.
And let me say this, I grew up around both the police and fire departments, and there have been a lot of good people who have come and gone over the years, and for the most part, there are good people serving those two departments now. We don’t need to conentrate on creating issues, we need to support these people in positions, who put their lives at risk at times for the safety of the public.
Boy, did this ever get my family worked up!!! That was the one thing I was trying so hard to avoid!
The fact remains that there are certain truths that have somehow gotten buried within each of these comments.
1. The Mayor has the right and even responsibility to appoint who he wishes when he wishes, as is dictated by the very job Monticellonians elected him to.
2. The Mayor did not disclose the circumstances of the dismissal/appointment and seems reluctant to discuss his “direction” for the department. The citizenship deserves at least that.
3. “You can’t please all the people all the time.” No matter who held the Fire Chief position, there were inevitably going to be people that disagreed either personally or professionally.
4. There is a serious, and potentially disasterous, divide among the members of the fire department and their family members. This is terrifying to me in that the very success of the department, and thus the lives of each and every one of our firefighters, is reliant on it’s members ability to work as a unit. This rift will most certainly hinder any direction that the department has in its future. I think that I can safely say that there isn’t a fireman in the department that has been able or available to respond to every single call; a fact which may shed a tremendous light on the distinct difference in opinions.
5. Monticellolive.com is definitly not the place to aire such differences. Every negative comment directed away from the initial discussion topic has proven hurtful, whether intentional or not, even to those of us not directly involved in the disagreement, including myself. This website has proven a great source of information about the goings on in our beloved hometown. Please don’t corrupt that and try to remember that many, many, MANY non-Monticellonians read this as well.
Let’s all just regain our composure and refocus all this emotion toward discovering some resolutions for the issues at hand. CONTACT THE MAYOR!!!!
let’s just all calm down and go to mayor if we want to know why wendell was fired and replaced by someone who is letting everyone else do his job and he will be getting all the credit not to mention the money too.
Well isn’t that funny. We got someone wanting everyone to calm down, but still manages to slip in an under handed comment just to keep stirring the pot. MR keep your degrading comments to your self. you can’t pretend to be some kind of peacemaker when you’re trying to start a war in another country. take the hint bud. quit trying so hard to make people read between the lines.!!!
I have read all of the comments and I have come to this conclusion….if you really want to know the reasoning behind the firing of wendell and the hiring of curtis, go to the mayor and ask him point blank.
And as for all the name bashing and mug slinging.. shame on all of you! do you all know what site that yall are on? this is great web site that has brought may of us who did live and now do not live in Monticello all of the information that we could ever want and not to mention the people doing this site work for the highest power of all…. GOD! so all of this needs to stop.
If you have concerns for the issue…go to the source–Joe Rogers!!!!!!
My only concern is for the firefighters..who have to trust Curtis and his/her fellow firefighters with his/her lives every time the pager goes off. So plaese everyone pray for these men and women who put their lives in danger everytime their pagers go off.
May GOD be with them and their families.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
All this jabber is not solving a thing. Yes, the mayor has the authority to appoint who he wants. The question is, do the people of Monticello want this authority to continue? There are other options.
I would like to know, what issues Joe had that made him fire Mr. Ply and hire Mr. Donaldson. How much training do both men have? What are their work ethics? How serious do they take their jobs? If Mr.Ply wasn’t the man for the job, was there someone other than Mr. Donaldson who could have been a better appointment? Did the mayor really give enough consideration to this appointment?
Rumors now, are that Mr. Donaldson is making it very hard on some firemen who have been with the department for many years and served the citizens of Monticello well. Seems like he may be trying to force them out.
Sounds as if there is to much power given to a few. Just because the chief is replaced is it good for him to go in and clean house too? Many lives are changed due to this process maybe the process should be changed. Looking into the process will do more good than yapping about it.
One option is to ask your council member about adding a confirmation process to the mayors appointments through the city council. Maybe, set some kind of hiring criteria. The other is asking for a civil service commission which would be appointed by the city council.
I do not personally know either Mr. Ply or Mr. Donaldson. But it seems to me, that with the quite passing of the new police chief appointment, and all the noise being made over this appointment, that there is a controversial person now being placed into a very important leadership position. Therefore, maybe we do need a means to validate such important appointments.
Last night march 24 a girl drowned because the police and fire department didnt have the proper equipment. The incident happened last night at monticello speed way.
Please provide more details on this incident, T.
Is there a pond out by the speedway? I didn’t know that. Can anyone provide more details about this incident?
there is not a pond at the speed way. there is however a “well” we will call it….this is a place where the speed way can “water” the track.
the girl was with her mother in a six-wheeler and somehow when they reached the top of the “well”..the little girl fell out and was in the water for 25 to 30 minutes before she was rescued. they (the firemen and women) did all that they could to get the girl to saftey, but it was not enough and sadley the little girl did not make it.
so instead of blaming someone for this accident….let us all pray for the little girl’s family…
I don’t think passing blame was the point of the comment made by “T.” I think the point is that possibly the departments were not well equipped.
According to Sheriff Gober, the girl and her mother were passengers on an ATV, when the driver got off, and the ATV accelerated forward over a mound of dirt, where the ATV went into a pond (which is how it was referred to in the report) and the rescue went on for aprox. 25 minutes until the child was found, and died at a local hospital. Again, this is according to a report that I received.
This isn’t a time to pass blame, however it might be a time to assess to make sure our departments are equipped well. I have no doubt that both our fire and police departments have the best equipment made available to them for such search and rescue incidents.
All you can do is pray for the family of that little girl, but also, don’t forget those who worked so hard to try and rescue her in an attempt to save her life.
As far as I know it has not been determined just how this accident happend but we all do need to pray for the family, owners and all the brave men and women who without hesitation jumped in to the water to save the unknown person’s life to the best of their ability. We are not to ask God why, just to call on him on times of joy and sorrow. I can’t say and pray I never will have to know what it feels like to loose a child or what the rescures will have to live with for the rest of there life, but I do know in my heart that God lones us his children to enjoy until he is ready to take them to home to heaven. So I ask all not to place blame on anyone and just pray to God for all to recieve strength.
I would first like to say that I am in NO WAY trying to condemn the people that jumped in to try to save the little girl. I know they were doing everything they could to save her and should be applauded. But it is to my understanding that the crowd of people in the water somewhat hindered the actual rescue effort. Either way, I don’t think anyone is to blame here, whether is be actual people or lack of equipment.
I have been reading all of the responses concerning the mayor and his decisions. It does seem to me that Joe is moving too fast; he needs to slow down. Also, I think that dissolving the Park Comm. was a bad idea. Supervising all the activities of the Parks is really too much for the mayor with his other duties. I don’t understand why he did that. Now, I would love to have a community center, but our county doesn’t have spare money. Our Monticello teachers have been the lowest paid in South AR for years because we have no industry to speak of. SeaArk and War Eagle and Hood can’t support us all. We need a new library; there isn’t extra money for that.
To get back to the Fire Chief: what steps are in place to hire a chief? What is the educational background; what kind of fire training; and what kind of previous work experience? If all this is political, then our esteemed City Council and/or citizens should take steps to correct this? Maybe, if the State Fire Insurance Commission looked into this, we might find that we need changes. Anyway, let’s all work together; pray, too.
After following this thread, I would like to say that anyone who has served as a First Responder deserves our admiration, respect and gratitude. Let us not forget that everyone involved is a decent and noble individual. We are lucky to even have a fire department. We are lucky to have dedicated men that stick to a lousy job long enough to even consider retirement. I am surprized and amazed people are even competing for the position.
Our new Mayor has demonstrated that a new broom sweeps clean. We have a new power structure in place. This is how democracy works. Wouldn’t it be nice if the transition had been amicable and affected parties properly compensated.
Robert Bashaw
LoweST Fightin’ O’re the Same Nut Arkansas
I know this may be a little off topic but it does go along with the way the discussion seems to be going. I’d just like to point out that there is a Full-Time female firefighter. She has less than 2yrs till retirement (which means she has more time in than Davis) yet she is only a basic firefighter. She is also the Sec/Treas of the department, which is an officers position and was denied by Ply to wear the officer uniform. She was also a Captain before he took the cheifs position, but he saw that she was demoted for someone else.
Since Curtis has taken the job she has gotten the right to wear the uniform again. The reasons for firing Ply are many but i’m not one to say. The Mayor should answer that question or at least post a statement in the paper.
I have alot of issues with the mayor as well but on this issue he did the right thing. Now he should just explain to all of us why.
I’m sure I’ll upset someone’s apple cart by saying this, but…
If we’re going to make changes in our police and fire departments, let’s do it be establishing a civil service commission and a set of guidelines for hiring and promotions.
I currently work full-time for a civil service fire department. The civil service commission governs the rules that dictate how firefighters are hired (through a basic aptitude eligibility test) and promoted (through years of service requirements, training and promotional exam). Civil service rules not only create a fair way hire and promote firefighters, they also govern any disciplinary actions against a firefighter if it results in a loss of rank or pay. Thus, civil service offers protection from personnel decisions that could be political in nature.
In my department, every member except the chief is covered under civil service rules. The chief still serves at the pleasure of the mayor and this allows a mayor to set the tone of his cabinet by having the option to hire and fire department heads. However, people who choose to make a career with the fire department don’t have to worry about the politics of city hall negatively affecting their livelihood. The requirements to be hired and be promoted are clearly spelled out and no one has to worry about playing the game of politics to be successful.
To Little Embers: The female firefighter you are talking about wouldn’t happen to be Mr.Donaldson’s neice would it?….Also,i agree with you about the “MAYOR” giving a answer or statement for his reasons on firing Mr. Ply. We all new it was going to happen sooner or later so he should have known that he would have to have a answer ready for why his reason for replacing the fire chief other than personnel or personal or whatever he said. “Dear Mr Mayor”, “Can you tell us why?”….hmmmm
no, it is not his neice. she has only been there for a few years and she is not an officer. they are talking about mrs. yount.
let’s just all give up on this until we go to the mayor and get his answer to the matter. if he will give it to you.
thx lady love..i forgot about mrs.yount…also,good quote miss lady..
Curtis’s niece isn’t full time, she is only volunteer, the bi-laws prevent nepotism. Ne way, about the race track, We do need proper equipment to do our jobs, but until the grants that have already been applied for come through, or until we get an officer friendly quorum court, it is sad to say that Drew County will continue to be at the bottom rung in these areas. Quick fact: A part time officer working for an undisclosed department in an undisclosed neighboring county makes 26,000 a year working less than 40 hours a week, and has oodles of equipment just waiting to be used. We are one of the largest counties in the state, yet we only have 6 active patrolling deputies. These deputies are expected to patrol the entire county day and night driving less than standard units and aren’t even provided a weapon. They are expected to run headlong into danger, secure the county while the public sleeps, and fight the continuing drug war, and they can’t even get decent rates on family medical insurance. Some deputies would have to literally pay the county to work for them if the deputy had to get insurance. So yes we are under equipped, we are under paid and yet we still do it with a smile on our faces. All because we love our community, and we love to serve and protect you.
Sorry for getting off topic, but i had to vent for a sec. Oh and thank you for all of your support and confidence.
MY MOTHER HAS BEEN ON THE DEPARTMENT FOR 18 YEARS. NOT A FEW. SHE IS CURRENTLY THE LONGEST FULL TIME SERVING MEMBER ON THE DEPARTMENT. SHE STARTED IN 1988. THE SEC/TREAS POSITION IS AN OFFICERS POSITION. ALWAYS HAS BEEN.
to little embers..i was not talking about your mother, i know how long she has been there, i was refering to curtis’s neice. so please make sure that you are correct in your reading and understanding before going off on someone.
I did in fact misread what you had said but be assured if i were to “go off” on someone i would do it in person.
Does anyone have access to the clearly defined roll the Fire Chief should be assuming in this position? What ARE the duties of the Fire Chief?
I only ask this question because it seems to me that many people think the person newly appointed to this position is incapable of serving our community in the capacity necessary for this position. I freely admit I am unaware of what I am sure is a lengthy list of responsibilities for someone in this position, and surely I’m not the only one without this knowledge.
I am aware that fighting change implies one of 2 things: 1) You’re 100% content with the way things are (thus no change is needed). or 2) The change being proposed/discussed is simply not the change that needed to be made.
In either case, I believe we could all benefit from knowing what is expected of our Fire Chief. Then maybe we could site examples or reasons where either person excels or falls short in such a capacity.
**This posting is not meant to insult anyone, simply as an attempt to gain a greater understanding of the situation that seems so important that others WOULD insult people. I for one am 100% supportive of changes in representation within our community (there are far too many people that have been in their positions for far too long without making a positive contribution to our community). I do not, however, have an opinion in this particular change since I currently do not have enough knowledge/information to develop an opinion.**
I think this discussion has gotten completely off target. The discussion should be why didn’t the Mayor give a reason for what he did? We all have our opinion as to if his decision was right or wrong, and we are at liberty to discuss that here. BUT, bringing other members, and their families, and so on and so forth into this topic is far, far away from the original topic.
Maybe Mr. Rogers is being “secretive” about his reasoning for letting Mr. Ply go because of personal reasons. After all Mr. Ply is the uncle of his daughter-in-law. So maybe he was just trying to save some face for Mr. Ply or keeping family peace by refusing to say the true reasoning especially if it is degrading to him. Also, if I am not mistaken Mr. Ply and his wife own Sears here in town, so he is not completely unemployed.
It’s 4:30pm Friday afternoon. I went to file a police report and they told me I had to come back Monday morning to file one. What?!!!! I have to get up at 4:00 am to go to work until 5:00 pm Monday threw Friday. Does crime only happen 8-4 Monday threw Friday…….
That’s ridiculous.
Italics indicate post edited by Admin.
If the police threw you out of the station and told you to come back 8-4 Monday through Friday, it seems as if this would be great topic to be discussed through the MonticelloLive user forum which site admin should probably put a link on the front page to click through to get to it.
You are right that would be rediculous if that was true but you can file a police report at anytime BUT you can only pick up reports during the hours of Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. thru 4:30 p.m.
Citizens of Monticello, Monticello is just an old town of “Ancestor Right”. Unless we take a stand and change old habits, all of these problems will continue to rise. Many of us complain about things, but we don’t try to make a change.
I think it is a shame that our own mayor. Mind you and elected offical would do something like this. They always say something and do something different. We know who not to vote for now!!!
I have read a lot of the comments above and all I can say is that I don’t agree that a mayor should have the authority to fire anyone that has many years of experiece just to get his own people in.
How do you think it affects the families of the fired people when they have a life in the community and bills to pay. After many years at the same job, whether is is law enforcement or fire fighting (both dangerous positions and both put their life on the line and require dedication), some people are too old to start in a new position. What about not being old enough to retire and not having pension benefits and yet not having a job because the mayor wants to establish his right to have his own people?
Come on people, NO ONE should be dismissed from their job without good reason. You say you knew when the mayor was campaigning–well everyone looks at it from a different angle and it might not be that they think those in office should be fired but think a new mayor might bring some good to a community. It sounds like your new mayor just divided his community and to me that is not good leadership.