Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Comment Archives: stories: News: Local News: Last 7 Days
Re: “After fleet, city will turn to the Fire Department for more savings”
Watch what kind of fire Chief Bach brings in, whoever they are they will be a head hunter with no loyalty to the CSFD, their only loyalty will be to the Mayor. The number of firefighter will be reduced to 3 per truck and an explanation will be given that says because we have such good coverage of the city that it will only take a few seconds for another truck to arrive with 3 more firefighters. More trucks mean more firefighters, besides the tiny number of fires we have in the city doesn't justify the huge firefighting force we have now.
Studies will be introduced that show that a smaller firefighting force is more affordable and every bit as effective as having 4 firefighters. We have just been through 2 huge wildland fires in the past 12 months, this is what a study from California found.
A study by Matt Rahn, director of research and education at SDSU’s College of Sciences’ Field Stations Programs.
The study, conducted over eight months, timed Cal Fire firefighters in drills in which they laid fire hoses for 100 feet, 1,000 feet and 2,000 feet.
In a typical wildfire incident, one crew member stays behind with the engine and manages the scene, while the rest are left to do the firefighting and laying down of the hose. With a crew of four, that leaves three firefighters to do the manual labor.
The tests found that changing a crew’s staffing from three to four increased efficiency by as much as 50 percent.
“That can mean 15 to 40 minutes of a faster response time and effectiveness, which may not seem like a lot but in an initial attack of a fire, that’s a tremendous amount of time and often means success or failure in a fire,” Rahn said.
There hasn't been a line of duty death for the Colorado Springs Fire Department for more than 100 years, if Mayor Bach does this we will have a death, maybe not on his watch but at some point in the near future. I hope the Mayor gets any firefighter death hung around his neck in the future even if he is out of office. This is bad policy from a bad politician.
Posted by
Timothy O'Hara Casey
on 06/18/2013 at 8:41 PM
Re: “After fleet, city will turn to the Fire Department for more savings”
Mayor wants to OUTSOURCE EVERYTHING! ALL City employees should be worried about there jobs.
2013 Executive Branch
Breakthrough Strategies
Executive Branch Administration
Lead pension reform: Form a Pension Solutions Team no later than January 2013 to propose and
gain support for legislation result in sustainable pension plans and reduce the City’s pension
costs.
Goals:
Support an increase in private sector civilians employed by an average of 6,000 per
year by being the most business and citizen friendly city of our size in the United States
of America.
Develop a definitive plan to continue outsourcing and implement community partnerships to
provide park maintenance services by Q1 2013.
Increase road and stormwater maintenance: Add $2 million more in stormwater and $2 million
more in Streets capital projects to be completed by private contractors.
Streetlights, Bus Service, and Snow Plowing: Turn on the remaining 3,500 streetlights, provide
comprehensive streetlight analysis/recommendations to Mayor; add evening bus service; and
test Phase II of outsourcing of snow plowing by close of Q1 2013.
Posted by
IonU
on 06/18/2013 at 9:08 AM
Re: “Pico: 'I am clear' in Serco arrangement”
All of this would have been much easier if the Mayor and Council had chosen to air the subject before making a decision on laying off so many city workers. Democracy is messy but it flourishes best in the open. Too many recent city decisions smack of oligarchy and are hidden from the public as personnel matters.
Posted by
Clara McKenna
on 06/18/2013 at 8:53 AM
Re: “After fleet, city will turn to the Fire Department for more savings”
I believe the City should end negotiations with this business headquartered in a Foreign country and step back, take another look and the REAL numbers of so called cost savings vs value and get PERA down here to explain to the people how them numbers don't work.
Posted by
IonU
on 06/18/2013 at 8:48 AM
Re: “Pico: 'I am clear' in Serco arrangement”
"perceived," "appearance of a conflict," "remote," and "indirect." I believe the City should end negotiations with this business headquartered in a Foreign country and step back, take another look and the REAL numbers of so called cost savings vs value and get PERA down here to explain to the people how them numbers don't work.
Posted by
IonU
on 06/18/2013 at 8:33 AM
Re: “Pico: 'I am clear' in Serco arrangement”
I don't believe former Councilman Guman's comments regarding recusal and the Code of Ethics are directed at our newly elected Councilman Pico; rather, I believe, they are aimed at citizens with the intention of informing them of a potential conflict of interest.
Posted by
sooperedd
on 06/18/2013 at 8:30 AM
Re: “More trouble at Colorado's toxicology lab”
So, if the lab did shoddy work and cases are thrown out and convictions overturned, does Colorado re-imburse defendants for what they paid in fines, court costs, legal fees, loss of income, etc? Could get pricey, but seems the right thing to do.
A bit ironic that highly conservative Colorado Springs now contracts for lab work with a firm in highly liberal Boulder. Gotta love it.
Posted by
OldCrank
on 06/17/2013 at 2:05 PM
Re: “Pico: 'I am clear' in Serco arrangement”
I find it surprising that Former Councilman Guman would engage in such an exercise of circular illogic and insinuation as he sternly lectures that not only should I do what I have already done, but I should do what I have already done.
Of all people, he should know that what is required is I recuse myself from everything to do with this contract. I have done that already, months ago. I have had no involvement with this contract on either the city side, utilities or from within Serco. I am not contracting with the city.
That is what is required - recusal.
I have and will continue to comply with all required actions in accordance with all laws, codes and ordinances.
Posted by
Andres Pico
on 06/17/2013 at 10:31 AM
Re: “After serving as a local police chief, Richard Myers went where few others would: Sanford, Fla.”
A "white-Hispanic" shot Trayvon Martin? Exactly how does that work? Man with Hispanic mother and Jewish father shoots black kid, now we will call him "white"? That's right hipsters and boomers reading this mess and nodding your heads, just keep telling yourselves that it's other people that are racist, not you, oh no.
Posted by
Stacy in Woodland Park
on 06/16/2013 at 9:53 AM
Re: “Pico: 'I am clear' in Serco arrangement”
As if Melcher cares. He's a puppet.
Posted by
Zen
on 06/15/2013 at 11:02 AM
Re: “After fleet, city will turn to the Fire Department for more savings”
Mayor Bach ... dismantling community one job at a time. What a douche. And they wonder why the Springs is circling the drain.
Posted by
Zen
on 06/15/2013 at 10:58 AM
Re: “Burbach, city break from state drug lab”
To JusticeIsServed (aka Forrest Gump):
"Stupid is as stupid does"
Are you even reading the news?
Yesterday the director of the entire state lab 'retired' and today the executive director 'resigned' (press release by Governor Hickenlooper and on other news channels).
Didn't a previous post say there's more to the story?
Tuesday I was forwarded an awesome support letter by a highly degreed and esteemed (clearly out of your league) toxicology professional, in support of Cindy. Yesterday I read 3 letters and today 2 more. Each from highly respected toxicologists.
By the way.. if I'm Cindy, I don't forward letters to myself! HAHAHA!!
I'm leaving this rag for more intelligent interaction.
Posted by
MirandaMiller345
on 06/13/2013 at 11:17 PM
Re: “Burbach, city break from state drug lab”
To MirandaMiller345.....whatever you say Cynthia!!!!!!
Posted by
JusticeIsServed
on 06/13/2013 at 2:49 PM
Re: “Burbach, city break from state drug lab”
To JusticeIsServed:
I am not Cynthia Burbach.
You are a moron.
However, I did get quite a laugh out of your rant and your mistaken conjecture as to my identity.
I am an individual who does has 100% direct knowledge of the entire situation and has all the names of all of the intelligent people I mentioned in my prior post, who also have more knowledge than you do about the situation and Ms. Burbach.
Thank you for posting your ignorant and misguided comments.
It is refreshing to know that that you come from a lower intelligence level, so we should not expect intelligent posts by you.
While KDVR posted libelous statements regarding the report that they linked in their article, at least they have several intelligent posters on that site, who know what they are talking about.
Posted by
MirandaMiller345
on 06/12/2013 at 9:44 PM
Re: “After fleet, city will turn to the Fire Department for more savings”
Colorado Springs employees, ESCAPE!
Posted by
Algernon Moncrief
on 06/12/2013 at 4:51 PM
Re: “Around the horn on a downtown Springs stadium”
The sky sox stadium idea represents the kind of vision we do not have but desperately need. The "obscure real estate" mentioned by one commenter is Colorado Springs LODO waiting and wanting to happen as soon as we develop some community courage and vision. Were there conservative naysayers 20 years ago in Denver talking about the ridiculous idea of developing DT Denver's run-down north end? Did an enlightened City do the right thing there? Did development of Denver's LODO create jobs and a vibrant city? Were there challenges to overcome that were worth overcoming? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.
Posted by
William L. Fisher
on 06/12/2013 at 12:57 PM
Re: “After fleet, city will turn to the Fire Department for more savings”
"...the National League of Cities put out a report saying we've had six straight years of revenue decline," Gilroy adds. "Local governments are still reeling from the impacts from the recession. That always prompts governments to start looking at alternatives, such as going to the private sector."
"Going to the private sector" is no panacea, nor should it be the first/only alternative. Mayor Botch has tried no alternatives, he just jumped into bed with SERCO.
When your "strong mayor" comes into office backed by billionaires whose intent is to destroy as much of government as they can, at all levels, the intent soon becomes clear. Just about every bit of COLO SPGS government will be sold off or contracted out before we can get this maniac out of city hall. I warned about this.
Posted by
OldCrank
on 06/12/2013 at 12:43 PM
Re: “Burbach, city break from state drug lab”
To MirandaMiller345....aka Cynthia Burbach
LMAO....Your narcissistic views have you confused. Full support for you is only in your disturbed mind especially when it comes to your "former" co-workers!!!
Posted by
JusticeIsServed
on 06/12/2013 at 10:19 AM
Re: “Pico: 'I am clear' in Serco arrangement”
Although I doubt Mr. Pico intended to violate the city's Code of Ethics, the Ordinance is succinct. Language includes "perceived," "appearance of a conflict," "remote," and "indirect." It's pretty comprehensive, and council made it that way purposely when it was first adopted in 1994 and amended in 2009.
Mr. Pico will have to recuse himself from hearing or voting on all future annual budgets that include anything related to Fleet Management. Additionally, he will have to recuse himself from any discussions where employees of Fleet Management are involved, including salary considerations, benefits, labor disputes, etc.
The city has been down this road before, as have I as a former council member with a very similar circumstance. Bottom line: elected and city officials do not contract work with the city. The city has already opined that "recusal" and "disclosure" does NOT remove this matter from conflict. The city chose to adopt a Code of Ethics that is stricter than what the state requires. As such, the city (including the city attorney) is obligated to abide by the provisions spelled out in the Code of Ethics.
Posted by
bill.guman
on 06/12/2013 at 10:13 AM
Re: “After fleet, city will turn to the Fire Department for more savings”
Bach needs to go. He is destroying our city. Companies are not going to relocate here with all the dysfunction, lack of transparency, corruption, and ties to the Koch brothers and the developers like Jenkins. He is nothing but a puppet who will do anything his puppet masters ask him to do regardless of the effect that it will have on our city and citizens. I did not vote for this corrupt mayor. Based on his behavior, allegiance to the developers and the Koch brothers, I knew it he was going to be a destructive and corrupt mayor. How are we going to grow our economy and attract businesses and jobs with this person (I would prefer to use stronger language but will adhere to the rules of the Indy). We need to seriously look at organizing a recall effort before he cripples our city, economy, and community.