It would have been better for the folks who read todays paper if the dollar amounts I presented to the County Commissioner's had been listed. It would have totally ticked off many to find out what Vienna; a City of 10,600 people is paying for three full time Fire Dept. employees. It is almost $19.00 for each man, woman and child in the City. Do we need these folks? I am going to say maybe? I am not sure yet what the real duties of the newest one is yet? Allegedly, a person to maintain the equipment in the Dept. primarily? But it blew up last March when we had that really bad snow storm. At the next City Council meeting the complaining started that Mr. Rogers (70ish year old Council Member) and the Fire Chief were shoveling snow in front of their respective areas of interest/ responsibility. Those being the Senior Center and the Fire Building. Now in their defense neither should have had to do so. This is clearly a function/ responsibility of the Public Works Dept. (PWD). And please do not tell me there are not enough bodies to do the work. If shortages occur, hire some temps to go out with permanents to handle what need be done. We have enough trucks with plows to schedule one into the front of the fire dept. and then get out of truck with a helper to clear the door ways and then a final lap across the front. As for Mr. Roger's Senior Center: 1. maybe it should have been closed; 2. a delayed opening till PWD got a two man crew in there. As an aside, back in the day even when I was in a Supervisory/ Managerial Position, I had no qualms about going out and unloading trucks in order to get the work done and the vehicles back on the road. As a Warrant Officer, one of my troops asked why I was helping. I said " need to get truck back out". He replied that none of the other Warrants had ever helped. I said " I am not one of the other Warrants". When one's employees respect you, they are going to do a better job.
Back to Fire Dept., I believe if one is to too good to get hands dirty, than maybe we need one who is not afraid to do the work. And note that my 67- 68 year old neighbor shoveled her driveway as her husband cannot do it anymore. So there were at least two that could have cleared the doorways if a small 3/4 or 1 ton with plow had come in. City never seems to have enough workers but for sure lots of mid- level and upper level folks around? And if the Mayor's street is at the top of the Priority list for plowing, maybe that is the truck that should have been sent across the front of the fire bldg.? AS AN ADDED COMMENT: One might argue that the Mayor would be needed to be at City Hall in situations like that storm that just stopped most in their tracks. But, a year ago the City got a new Phone System (same provider) that allowed as was explained in a meeting that allowed at least the upper echelons of the City Staff to stay in touch through their private cellphones and the City System. Am pretty sure however that the City is providing cellphones along with the tablets used at Tax payer expense? So business as usual from where ever without setting foot in City Hall.
Surprise, surprise !! Mr. Cornelius appears to still be alive and well. Still no decision from the group in Charleston; at least up to press time for the paper and nothing on TV this A.M.? Seems the Dems in P'burg close to jumping ship and going forward in spite of Wood County Republican Committee ongoing Coup d'état. Good decision as the "PEOPLE" need to be represented. Will be an Election next year if they are not happy there will be an option then to redo the choice.