Tri-State Fire Protection District – Chief has gag order on firemen –

Tri-State FPD (ECWd) –
You know there are problems, when as a public employee and citizen, you have to report any contact with elected officials to your boss.
So goes the Tri-State Fire Protection District and a policy put into affect in 2011 – is it any wonder there are so many problems?

General Order #11-002A

In order to “better inform” the District Trustees, any employee that contacts one, or is contacted by one, must report the contact to the Fire Chief…you know, so they can be provided “accurate” information. It couldn’t have anything to do with hiding information, could it?
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We’ve already covered the ambulance purchases that are an alleged conflict of interest, the trustee that did not live in the District and actually had a full-time job in Texas, the release of personal medical related information, a resignation, and a little background on the Chief in these articles (here).
The BGA, Better Government Association has been writing about this Fire Protection District for a couple years also (here).
In the interest of a better Tri-State FPD, we suggest they immediately suspend this policy as it does nothing but infringe on the rights of public employees, fosters distrust, and provides a disincentive for employees to inform their elected officials about certain things going on within the FPD.
Below is a picture of a trustee, at the office of Werk Management, receiving CPR training.  This should demonstrate that the Chief has some kind of working relationship with at least one trustee, outside of the FPD – and don’t forget about a past trustee with a similar relationship receiving a contract for the purchase of three ambulances.
There needs to be an appointment of a third trustee at the earliest possible moment, and the existing two trustees need to keep the Chief out of that decision.