Anyone who agrees with the union apparently! :roll:
Firefighters? Anyone?
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Per Punzy...
[ame="http://sowal.com/bb/showpost.php?p=439368&postcount=28"]SoWal Beaches Forum - View Single Post - Firefighters? Anyone?[/ame]
Thanks, Haiku Master
I had seen his name in the thread, but had a brain spasm, I guess
I didn't realize it was a BCC endorsement only or if they endorsed candidates in other races as well.
Tom Cooper - Sherrif
Sid Braunstein - WCBCC District 5
Maurice Gilbert - SWFD Seat 1
Scott Thurston - SWFD Seat 3
Jon Kazek - SWFD Seat 5
Ok, it just became clear that you have no idea what you are talking about.
My firefighters union local is completely autonomous. We answer to no one but our own membership. Our Executive Board is made up of elected dues paying members who act at the direction of the rest of the dues paying membership within South Walton Professional Firefighters Assoc. Period. When you say that unions work for the unions and not for the members, I wonder who you think the "unions" are.
Furthermore, if you doubt our commitment to the safety and well-being of the members of this community as being our top priority you need to do a lot more research. After having done so, if you have any self respect or decency, I doubt that you will come back and try to sully our name and astound us with your ignorance again.
I appreciate you posting on this site.
I feel you are getting the wrong idea. This is a place for back and forth. No reason to get defensive. Just because someone questions you, it doesn't necessarily mean they aren't on your side, even if they aren't voting for the same candidate as yourself. Remain calm and respond reasonably with the facts and you will be fine. Saying things like, "that's all I have to say", or using terms like "wicthhunt" are defensive, reactionary, and over the top. They make you seem a bit unreasonable.
I see nothing wrong with your process. It sounds like one candidate didn't return the questionnaire (I bet he wishes he had) so he didn't get the invite. I'll bet there was some communication lacking by one or more parties, or miscommunication. Maybe egos came into play? I don't doubt that you have a fine organization and have the public's best interests at heart.
Believe me when I say this thread is helping me to decide whom to vote for. We might have common interests and goals. I certainly agree with your premise about elected officials serving the public instead of the other way around. Flexibility, compromise, and negotiation are not dirty words but rather necessary qualities for the BCC and you seem to understand that.
I like SWFD
To all who have concerns:
SWFD is one of the best Fire Departments in the area, let alone the State. It is no surprise that certain candidates (via their supporters) are crying about the SWFD endorsing Tom Cooper for Sheriff instead of their candidate. Much of this is due to the vibe on the street that certain candidates do not have as much support as once thought. So, naturally, panic sets in...
First, SWFD Union is NO DIFFERENT than an independant voter, such as myself. I have not set forth my support to any one candidate, so maybe that's a difference... Either way, who the union endorses is their business. I am so sorry that a few candidates want to dispute the decision of these fine men and women. (I've always said, that I'd rather have to call the FD then the SO to help me. The FD has stopped to change my tire, SO drives on by...)
Candidates and supporters of the candidates - get over it. SWFD has placed its support with Tom Cooper. You can complain about the signs and that you don't like the color, etc, etc, etc. You sound silly and you make your candidate look bad as you focus on appearance instead of context. Why don't you focus your attention on the Bay County Fire Department, maybe they can endorse someone... That wouldn't matter much would it?
Relationships, like that of SWFD and local businesses, neighborhoods and resorts do not happen overnight, they are built. They don't pass around $500 checks and gain support with the stroke of a pen and an open ended promise of "favors". They are cultivated, earned and then respected. This is based on years of PARTNERSHIPS. Those partnerships, in turn, mean support and in this case an endorsement.
Please stop questioning the reasons behind the SWFD's endorsement of Tom Cooper. They must feel he is the best man for the job. Move on and find someother reason to complain.
w
To all who have concerns:
SWFD is one of the best Fire Departments in the area, let alone the State. It is no surprise that certain candidates (via their supporters) are crying about the SWFD endorsing Tom Cooper for Sheriff instead of their candidate. Much of this is due to the vibe on the street that certain candidates do not have as much support as once thought. So, naturally, panic sets in...
First, SWFD Union is NO DIFFERENT than an independant voter, such as myself. I have not set forth my support to any one candidate, so maybe that's a difference... Either way, who the union endorses is their business. I am so sorry that a few candidates want to dispute the decision of these fine men and women. (I've always said, that I'd rather have to call the FD then the SO to help me. The FD has stopped to change my tire, SO drives on by...)
Candidates and supporters of the candidates - get over it. SWFD has placed its support with Tom Cooper. You can complain about the signs and that you don't like the color, etc, etc, etc. You sound silly and you make your candidate look bad as you focus on appearance instead of context. Why don't you focus your attention on the Bay County Fire Department, maybe they can endorse someone... That wouldn't matter much would it?
Relationships, like that of SWFD and local businesses, neighborhoods and resorts do not happen overnight, they are built. They don't pass around $500 checks and gain support with the stroke of a pen and an open ended promise of "favors". They are cultivated, earned and then respected. This is based on years of PARTNERSHIPS. Those partnerships, in turn, mean support and in this case an endorsement.
Please stop questioning the reasons behind the SWFD's endorsement of Tom Cooper. They must feel he is the best man for the job. Move on and find someother reason to complain.
w
Sorry for the “defensiveness”.
When someone starts spouting pure uneducated, ignorant, and inflammatory rhetoric as fact in an apparent attempt to somehow damage the credibility of a group of people that I personally know to be decent, community minded and selfless, I gotta tell ya, it really gets my goat. I get a little angry when someone tries to pass themselves off as the local expert on our firefighters union because they caught a showing of “Hoffa” on TBS.
If one has an opinion contrary to mine, wonderful. It would be a pretty boring planet if everyone were just like me. However, stating something as fact which is obviously your opinion is intentionally inflammatory and is also obviously intended to make someone believe something which you do not know to be true or possibly make someone believe something that you know is untrue. And I take issue with that.
However, I will try to play nice from now on. Thank you.
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Watcher,
Thank you for your post.
I would like to point out though, SWFD is South Walton Fire District. Nothing I have written herein is on behalf of this governmental entity.
I am the President of South Walton Professional Firefighters Assoc. Our organization (though all of our members are employed by SWFD) is independent of SWFD and does not represent in any way the management or elected officials of SWFD.
Thanks again for your support of our rights.
Thank you for your post.
I would like to point out though, SWFD is South Walton Fire District. Nothing I have written herein is on behalf of this governmental entity.
I am the President of South Walton Professional Firefighters Assoc. Our organization (though all of our members are employed by SWFD) is independent of SWFD and does not represent in any way the management or elected officials of SWFD.
Thanks again for your support of our rights.
Go Ask
If one wants the endorsement or support of a Union, they go ASK for it. The Union does not go out looking, begging for someone to ask them to support them. If a candidate dropped the ball, which they did, then it is on them for their own poor planning, poor communication and poor follow up. Those traits sound like things a good Sheriff should possess. The milk has been spilled, no more crying please. Move along, nothing to see here.
If one wants the endorsement or support of a Union, they go ASK for it. The Union does not go out looking, begging for someone to ask them to support them. If a candidate dropped the ball, which they did, then it is on them for their own poor planning, poor communication and poor follow up. Those traits sound like things a good Sheriff should possess. The milk has been spilled, no more crying please. Move along, nothing to see here.
Just wanted to point out that no one has yet explained a positive reason to vote for Mr. Braunstein or Mr. Cooper. Firefighters support simply isn't enough to sway me, as I am not a firefighter. I might be swayed by a reason for support, but without specific reasons I consider the endorsement meaningless -- which disappoints me.