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Permalink Reply by FF Nick on July 27, 2009 at 9:48am

Using depts funds for personal use is an unfortunate thing that happens daily in VFD's around the country. We've had a ex-chief here across the county in MS get popped for embezzling over the course of several years... They stopped digging when they hit 250k. He was tried, convicted, and served just under 2 years. Now he's out and a free man. Don't you just love our justice system? Three Rivers VFD is now having to deal with their losses with the insurance company.

A thief is a thief for me... they should file charges even if he used 2 cents of taxpayer money and most of all dismissed from the fire department! We all have tough times in life, everyone knows it but never once have I asked the fire department for any form of compensation nor tried to steal from ANYBODY. I have occasionally claimed mileage and reimbursement for meals and travel going to the academy, but most of the time I don't even worry about it. I just find it real amazing that he is still the chief of that FD, I'd have a hard time trying to find faith in my chief if I knew he was dippin in the cookie jar. Not only that I would be embarassed to say that he was my chief to other FD's and FF's asking me "Didn't your chief get caught stealing money from your FD?" 6k can get you a good bit of new equipment or take care of a major repair on a truck should something break. Taking away from your community doesn't sit well with me at all and I think he should be punished to the full extent!

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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on July 27, 2009 at 10:14am

Nick:
What's funny is that many believe that the chance of getting caught and going to jail will keep most of the populace honest.
When in fact, we were raised with a strong sense for right and wrong and a deep and abiding respect for the laws of our land.
I don't know about you, but when I was growing up, I would have much rather have faced a judge than my dad. Not because my dad would beat me, because he didn't. I would get one on the butt occasionally, but nothing to extreme.
But knowing the deep disappointment that he had in me was enough for me.
THAT has kept me honest all of these years.
TCSS.

Art

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Permalink Reply by Oldman on July 27, 2009 at 2:42pm

Having read both links, here are a couple of things to look at.

#1 The Chief is not guilty of anything. He has not been charged, tried nor convicted. Everything so far is alleged.

#2 The department and the governing body apparently had little or no accounting or auditing procedures which allowed the practice to go on.

#3 The allegations are for "misconduct" which is subject to interpretation, and is a lot different from "theft".

#4. The jest of the allegations leads me to believe there is an underlying reason the complainant chose to come forward now.

#5 The investigation also found fire department personnel were using fuel for purposes other than official business. Prove it. Without signed receipts, or unless someone cowboys up and admits it, all they have is an expenditure for fuel which cannot be traced.

Now I don't know anything about this department or town, and I am not condoning what the Chief is alleged to have done. But it appears to me that there is more going on in this town than what is being said. The complacency of the governing body by not having guidelines in place, or not following the ones they had, are doing almost as much a disservice to the citizens as the Chief.

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Permalink Reply by Trainer on July 27, 2009 at 2:45pm

Does this mean I can't use the credit card anymore? ;}

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on August 8, 2009 at 6:24pm

Sorry but I agree...a thief is a thief....we keep extremely tight books...believe it or not every penny can be traced and we have our books done quarterly...there are only 3 (I think) people that have authorization to make purchases....Hell it is so tight at a community function we had we needed more ice and I had to bring a receipt for 4 bags of ice....LOl at $ 1.50 a bag no less....LOL....what he did was criminal and should have been dealt with that way...now, every member of that Department will have John Q. Public looking over their shoulders and rumor mill must be in full speed mode....Paul

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