Letters to the Editor

Firefighters union makes picks

Tue, 11/01/2005 - 6:27pm
By: Letters to the ...

Professional Firefighters of Peachtree City Local 4008 is proud to endorse the following candidates for the upcoming Peachtree City elections.

There are several good choices for mayor; however, one has separated himself from the pack with making public safety a priority this term. It is time to fully embrace the issue of unsafe staffing levels in our fire department.

Harold Logsdon gets the nod with his financial background and strong military leadership skills. He has an open mind and a vision to help pursue the necessary funding that is needed to add firefighters and make the community safer.

For Council Post 3, there are again two good candidates; however, Steve Rapson has a history of addressing or attempting to address the issues involving public safety.

His proven experience and background in finance and local government management will again be an asset to this community in addressing the necessary funding required for a first-class fire and emergency services department this city deserves.

Lastly, the Post 4 seat has three great contenders that bring vast experience and fresh voices to the table. Two of them, Dan Gibbs and Cyndi Plunkett, have stated that they will make public safety and addressing the personnel shortage a priority for the upcoming term. Either of them would be a good choice for the city and its citizens.

Chris Campbell
President Local 4008
Peachtree City, Ga.

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You're kidding ..... Right ????
Submitted by 30269 on Fri, 11/04/2005 - 12:48am.

30269

First, I have a lot of respect for the folks that serve in the Fire and Police departments. You are underpaid and under appreciated !!! Having said that, I find it hard to understand why you feel compelled to express you're opinion under the label of the "Firefighters Union". I will not vote based on your union’s position nor will I vote based on Cal's published opinion. As a matter of fact, I consider Cal's endorsement of Brown for Mayor, nothing more then a feeble attempt to sell newspapers. Think of it this way, when Brown is booted out of office, Peachtree City residents won't have any reason to read the Citizen, consequently less papers will be sold. Shame on you Cal for trying to get a Golden Goose re-elected.

Secondly and most importantly, you stated that the Union supports Logsdon because (and I quote) "Harold Logsdon gets the nod with his financial background and strong military leadership skills" Lets address the Financial background first, Logsdon is spending close to $ 30,000 dollars (maybe more) to win a job that pays $ 9,000. He really is a financial wiz...... Point number two, Strong Military leadership (and I'm a big supported of the military) I'm sure he may have been a fine Military man, but he worked for a group that spends $ 150.00 for a hammer and $ 200.00 for a toilet seat. What is he going to do for Peachtree City????????? Give me a break and go back to the firehouse to watch some TV ................

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What if Union endorsed candidate loses?
priusowner's picture
Submitted by priusowner on Fri, 11/04/2005 - 6:59am.

City employees should be careful endorsing a candidate. If they back a candidate for office and they loose how will the person that you fought against view your loyalty?

I can see it now, if the new Mayor is someone that you did not endorse has a decision to make between a police funding issue and a fire department funding issue the Union's political action could hurt the fire department.


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That base is covered with GENERIC plea
oodlesOpoodles's picture
Submitted by oodlesOpoodles on Fri, 11/04/2005 - 7:22am.

Go to this comment.

http://www.thecitizen.com/index.php?q=node/796#comment-607

It is straight in your face political jargin for all to see and absorb no matter who gets elected.

Do not get me wrong, I understand that every fire department in the world is "under staffed" and "under equipped" in their own minds. I do believe that PCFD could make some strong points about some items. I just believe that this is not the time or the way.


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Firefighters union make picks
ArmyMAJretired's picture
Submitted by ArmyMAJretired on Wed, 11/02/2005 - 9:08am.

I am so glad that the Army was and is not unionized. In my humble opinion firefighters should focus on their jobs, not politics, but again that is just my opinion. Unions by definition are special interest groups.

I strongly support the PCFD, they are a great group of professional and volunteers that risk their lives for us all. That being said I wish they would cease trying to influence elections, but that is what the IAFF did without getting the authorization from their members.


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ArmyMajretired should know better....
cmc865's picture
Submitted by cmc865 on Thu, 11/03/2005 - 10:59pm.

Sir, I totally agree that we as firefighters need to focus on our jobs and that is exactly what we are doing by ensuring that the politicians that represent us give us the resources we desperatly need to do our jobs. You would agree as an officer in the Army that your job is to take care of and ensure the safety of your people, well my job as a fire officer is the same and it is hard to do when we are responding to calls severely understaffed. Forget the national standards that call for 4 firefighters on a truck, we would be happy with 2, however we jeprodize our own safety and unfortunately yours too. So if it takes getting a little politically active to get a council and mayor to support safer staffing levels then that is my duty to protect my fellow firefighers and the citizens that I am sworn to protect.
Call me anytime to further discuss the issues.....
I wont hide behind a screen name.....
Chris Campbell 678-557-3304


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FireFighters Need to endorse the Forest Fire Bear Only
ghetto's picture
Submitted by ghetto on Thu, 11/03/2005 - 11:45pm.

Firefighter Unions need to endorse that guy that prevents forest fires, (Smokey the Bear or whatever the heck his name is) and that's about it...I saw a guy fall off a bike the other day, in a very rough crash, he was airlifted, but trust me, there was plenty of 1st responders and plenty of Firemen to go around for a fire a mile long...You pay the Union to negotiate staffing and pay etc...If they aren't doing their job, then drop the union, or make them start lobbying for your needs. You go to Fayette Community Hospital ER and wait in line for hours because they are understaffed, or people complain that teens aren't policed enough on the cart paths because of low police staffing...Public Safety is indeed a priority and all of the candidates will agree with that statement, so the union shouldn't endorse anybody, if a fireman (as a resident on their own time) wants to help a specific candidate that's their business, thats the way it should have been handled...Because now when Firemen are at work (On the Clock) they are representing their candidate because of the Union endorsement, and that shouldn't happen on Government time...


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