Tuesday, October 25, 2005

The Secret Lawsuit

COMPLAINT On June 25, 2003, a GreeneLand school janitor filed a lawsuit against his employer. The plaintiff, Stanley Dushane, accused the Catskill Central School District’s trustees of subjecting him to fraudulent, politically vindictive loss of position and of job-related benefits. Mr Dushane asked Supreme Court Judge Leslie Stein to compel the trustees to restore him to his previous office--Head Custodian--and to pay him various costs including “money illegally removed from his compensation package.” The school trustees, according to the terms of the complaint filed by attorney Mark Goichman of New Paltz, had “denied the plaintiff his rights of speech and assembly…by abolishing his position…. Abolishment…was done in retaliation for plaintiff’s involvement in the political activity between local fire hose companies” and in village elections. The plaintiff had “made good faith negotiation attempts with the defendant to resolve the matter” but had been treated only “harshly and indifferently.” RESPONSE Acting through another out-of-town attorney, Mark E. Rushfield of Highland NY, the trustees moved for dismissal of Mr Dushane’s civil action. No basis for treating this administrative shuffle as a free speech violation, they argued, had been laid by the plaintiff. The claim about fraudulent treatment was void of needed specificity. As for plaintiff’s contentions concerning loss of benefits, they do not fit under relevant State labor law (Article 6), because the post of Head Custodian(along with those of school lunch manager, business office manager and superintendent’s secretary), was administrative. CONTEXT Mr Dushane’s complaint came in the wake of furious quarreling among Catskill’s volunteer firefighters. At issue was consolidation of companies, and involved in that were questions about equipment ownership, leadership, headquarters and more. Mr Dushane took part in the conflict, not only as a veteran member of one hose company, but also as a member of the Village’s governing five-person board of trustees and, for part of his term (3/2000-3/2003) as Fire Commissioner. While the fire company controversy was raging, major changes, physical and managerial, were occurring in the school district. A new elementary school was constructed; when it opened, two old schools were closed. On the management side, the incumbent superintendent, Geraldine Wolfe, proposed a package of changes. One of them was that of establishing a Director of Facilities. This Civil Service-tested officer would absorb the Head Custodian's duties and much more. The educational and technical requirements exceeded whatMr Dushane could meet at the time. Mr Dushane was offered, and accepted, a rank-and-file janitorial job. AMENDED COMPLAINT On August 10th of last year, Judge Stein ruled against the defendant's motion for dismissal, holding that with acceptable amendments, the complaint could proceed to adjudication. Mr Dushane might have an enforceable contract right under State labor law. If that line of argument falls short, the plaintiff can try to sustain the claim for relief from loss due to fraud. Plaintiff could go ahead contending--as Judge Stein phrased it--that defendant “fraudulently induced him to take the position offered to him by promising certain wages and benefits, which it had no intention of providing.” The parties could now proceed to the discovery stage (seeing each other's evidence and reasoning) and then trial. RESOLUTION? Those steps were not taken. Instead, last month, the parties reached an out-of-court settlement. Consequently, there would be no airing in court of the Dushane charges (rephrased in a March 2004 filing) that the Catskill Central School District engaged in "intentionally misleading or deceiving the plaintiff for 13 years," in "failing to fulfill their contractual obligations," and in "retaliating against an employee for taking part in the political life of the town and village"--as well as "intimidation and spying." No word of this event, or of any part of the proceeding, appeared in the news media. Earlier this year, however, a tip about the case did come this way. It prompted recent attempts to elicit information from the new Superintendent of Schools, and from the school board’s president. Those attempts were met with stonewalling, accompanied by insinuations that the inquiry itself was illicit. It also led to a review of papers filed in the county Records office, papers containing the information cited above. REFUSALS In quest of confirmation of and comment on the settlement, we made another bid for information. We called the attorneys, Richman and Goichman; the School Board Chairman, James Garafalo; the office of Superintendent of Schools Kathleen P. Farrell; and the home of Mr Dushane. Mr Goichman confirmed that a settlement had indeed been reached, adding that he and his client are barred from disclosing the terms. Mr Richman said he would not talk about the case until authorized to do so by his client(s). Mr Garafalo refused to discuss the matter, and took umbrage at the inquiry: “You’ve called me at my place of business; I resent that. I never discuss school matters at my place of business” (namely, Catskill Florist Inc.). Dr Farrell did not return our call. Neither did Mr Dushane. We also called Morris Darling, who had been President of the school board when the actions complained of by Mr Dushane took place. While expressing uncertainty about the propriety of commenting on the case, he denied, emphatically, that any administrative changes that were adopted during his tenure were aimed at punishing Stanley Dushane. COSTS OF SILENCE Stonewalling does not seem to be required by law or by the public interest. Although litigation is a subject for executive sessions rather than for public School Board deliberations, the trustees are not precluded from acknowledging the existence of lawsuits. Neither are they barred from announcing or acknowledging settlements. In civil disputes between private parties, the terms of out-of-court settlements often are by mutual agreement kept confidential. But where one party is a public company, such arrangements cannot be sustained. The taxpayers are entitled to know, through court filings if not through voluntary announcements, whether a school board has agreed to pay money to a litigator. By its silence on the case and its agreement to settle, the present school board lends credence to the Vendetta thesis. It seems to be accepting Mr Dushane’s claim that the preceding board, chaired by Morris Darling, did take part in a deliberate scheme, masked by spurious administrative pretexts, to punish Mr Dushane for his fire company politics. But the settlement’s terms could be such that Mr Dushane withdrew his charges of fraud and political retaliation, while the Board recognized his monetary claims, or some portion thereof, as a contract employee. In that event, the Vendetta charge—a smear against the previous school board and Dr Wolfe—is nullified or moot. By settling the case in secret, moreover, the present school board lends credence to suspicions about cronyism. The settlement was reached after the school board elections of 2003. Those elections brought into office, among others, Mr Garafalo and Michael Battaglino, who are close friends indeed of Mr Dushane. That sequence, coupled with the aura of secrecy, can all too readily nourish doubts about whether the board treated the case on its merits. Skepticism could be dissipated, however, by assurances that Mr Dushane’s friends distanced themselves from deliberations on the case, and that the board's decision to settle was unanimous. To give such assurances, the board must first admit the existence of the case.

301 comments:

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Anonymous said...

We need to stop trying to keep the old fire companies alive by having a couple 90 year olds act as "active" members and then have a majority of us continue to participate as "associate" members.

It is crazy!!!!!

When 2 families come together to create one, you can't have separate banks accounts etc or you never truly become a family.

We have to liquidate these corporation bank accounts and transfer any assets held by hose 1 2 or 5 to the CFC and stop meeting and voting etc at these social clubs pretending to be fire comapnies and start new loyalty and pride with the CFC.

For some of us it won't be too long before we are the old guys and the young guys in time, will run the company and they wont give two shits about Hose 1 2 and 5.

AMEN TO THAT!

WITH THE ATTITUDE THAT IT IS OUR MONEY AND WE CAN SPEND IT ANY WAY WE WANT IS THE ATTITUDE THAT WILL TURN THE TAXPAYERS AGAINST US. IF THE AG OR STATE CONTROLLER COMES IN WE ARE DONE AND HOSE 1 WILL BE IN SHAME. NO ONE WILL REMEMBER THE GOOD OF HOSE 1 BUT WILL REMEMBER THE LAWSUITS AND ALLEGATIONS OF THEFT AND USING TAXPAYER MONEY AND DONATIONS FOR PERSONAL REASONS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH FIREFIGHTING. ALL FIRE COMPANIES WILL SUFFER BECAUSE THE PUBLIC WILL BE EXPOSED TO ALL OF THIS AND IF DONATIONS DRY UP HOSE 1 WILL TAKE ALL THE BLAME. THESE ACTIONS AND WORDS ARE DESTROYING THE LEGACY THAT HOSE 1 COULD LEAVE AND THE MENTION OF HOSE 1 WONT MAKE PEOPLE THINK GREAT FIRE COMPANY BUT WILL MAKE PEOPLE THINK GREED, SPENDING MONEY GIVEN FOR FIREFIGHTING "ANY WAY WE WANT", SELFISHNESS AND GREED.

IS THAT HOW WE WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?

Anonymous said...

Dick, In a recent column you wrote
"didn’t know we had such a clever, creative swindler in our midst. Makes me kinda proud.”

Greeneland is full of swindlers. Ah, but you did say clever, which is reason to set her aside from others.

I think the tax payers of Catskill were swindled by Fire Commissioner Chewens and Fire Chief Ormerod when they pushed through the purchase of a $450,000.00 Heavy Rescue truck.

Especially after the Village of Catskill was advised by a professional fire department consultation firm not to buy it. "You don't need a Heavy Rescue" I wonder what kind of special favors that purchase has created? The foxes have been let loose in the pen!

Does anyone have a clue whats going on in this department? A few running amuck with tax payer monies! Who's looking over their shoulders? Why a rescue and not a replacement for the ladder truck?
It has been broken the majority of the year! (This doesn't mean reported because there is an active campaign to hide many of the problems from the taxpayers.)

We have pumping capability
on five trucks alone. Downsize was the recommendation and yet we are always increasing. What did the new heavy rescue provide us? A high speed command center for "OH MY GOD" to over react in and call in the calvery! OH if we only had it at the Pavioln Fire//// water break.
Did we create the fire (I mean ballast fire because we failed to shut down the water system some 30 minutes into the call? Luckily no one was electricuted. After some 11 to 12 calls to the pavillion in the last few years you would of thought that we could tell a burnt out ballast by now. At least we got to call in mutual aid.

Now lets get back to the heavy rescue. Who needed it or could afford it, not the tax payers!

What wonderous ideas have the Fire Comish and Fire Chief come up to waste tax payer monies?

Lets see:

sell the large ladder truck 110 footer for the 68 footer. Woops T 3-15 cannot reach the top of the new County building from the rear. It does look really big over a single story ranch though.

Sell ETA 3-21 the newest Best truck in the Catskill Fleet, This would have been a huge waste of tax payer money. I think they have reconsidered this act of stupidity in exchange for selling E 3-1 ( the second most reliable truck in the fleet). Most Hose 2 members quit so now the focus is to destroy the remainder of the other fire company.

Keep the Engine Tankers (Mis nomer since they don't hold enough water to be considered an Engine tanker at todays standards.

Since the district averages a structure fire every two years why are they planning to spend tax payer dollars to expand the fire district capabilities instead of following the professional consultation firms recommendations?
Worse yet who is allowing them to get away with this stupidity?

OH I bet they can justify it with their extensive fire edumication. Get rid of the ETA's an purchase a large tanker! Why? its cheaper for the tax payers and has much better cost to actual need ratio.

Why a large tanker? It benefits the Village tax payers as well as the district. The majority of the work is in hydrant areas. If a hydrant or water line breaks its there if needed. It carrys a better water supply. Would support our mutual aid brothers if needed in the surrounding areas. Why do you think we call in Columbia Countys big tanker everytime we have a water shuttle running?

Purchasing ETA's and Heavy Rescue trucks instead of following the professional Consultants recommendations reeks of continuing the Willey Hose 1 saga!

Who gets to pay? We the tax payers!

3:21 AM


Anonymous said...
doesn't anyone watch whats going on with tax payers dollars? Sounds like its been going on for years?

1:23 PM


Anonymous said...
At my age I dont get on this much and comment. It takes a while to hunt and peck on this contraption.

I just wanted to share a laugh.

years ago a Hose 1 Chief was drunk off his rocker and showed up at the Catskill Creek during a flood. This guy was so sauced he got on the radio calling for the National Guard, the US Army, the Coast Guard and the President of the United States for immediate assistance. The Catskill Police quickly got him home .

Now it seems like the Chief is on the radio constantly calling for all kinds of fire companys to come to help Catskill.

When did we have to resort to constantly calling for help? And a bigger question is since when did we start needing help? Is things really that bad or is the Chief in the sauce to much?

Anonymous said...

YOUGH kNUCKLES CHECK OUT THIS SITE! Theres souch a racket going on here we need to get the boss involved. crack a few knuckles and we should be able to cash in on the ever ending supply of tax payer money. We can even rename the fire company the Never Ending Trust and rename E3-11 the God Father 1. The Feds will never catch on!

Anonymous said...

THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE!

Anonymous said...

HEY,I wouldn't hold my breath on the trustees changing anything. I heard that the Village President had two village employees utilize a piece of Village DPW equipment on a weekend to install a water main onto his property. This probally also extended into the portion outside of the village. Who authorised this? What appropriate documentation etc. was filed? Who paid for it?
You can't very wellexpect him to fire the Fire Commissioner when he's got something over you!

Anonymous said...

*to the 7:36 blog*

Just remember there are 3 companies that united and not just 2. Yes, the majority of active members of the CFC are from 1 and 5. However, the hose 2 members have and equal say in what goes on in the CFC. Quit acting like they dont exist, thats to much like the meetings where u only refer to 1 and 5's. Hose 2 is far from gone!!!!

Anonymous said...

is the chief in the sauce to much? I believe the whole fire company is. Infact the members are so worried about drinking that they have to do it at fires! Thats an outrage! How can we trust the catskill fire company to help people in need when they cant even be trusted in there fire house to leave the vending machines alone. Come on guys, a quarter isn't to much to ask for a pastry!

Anonymous said...

3 signs of a dysfunctional company
Like a car with an engine that can't fire on all cylinders, a business that's dysfunctional may move forward for a while. But eventually it stops running.

•Companies don't start out maladjusted, of course. It just tends to happen over time.

Here are three telltale signs that your company is unhealthy.

On This Page
1. You've got leaders who fake it.
(officers make few alarms!)
2. You've got bosses who like to point fingers.
( Chief blames problems on other members not himself!)
3. You've got a CEO who doesn't set priorities.
(Fire commish doesn't set up plans for future development of dept!)
Time for a checkup
(Looks like we failed!!!!!!!!!!)

Anonymous said...

yes they have been stealing pastries, but dont forget to mention the beer cooler that is constanitly brooken into to satisfy their hunger.

Anonymous said...

This is an article taken out of the December 2005 "Hudson Valley Firefighter". This is a paper published by the Hudson Valley Volunteer Firemen's Association.

This article hits the nail on the head for the Catskill Fire Company.

"13 Things You Can Do To Kill a Volunteer Fire Company"

1. Don't attend trainings or meetings, but if you do, arrive late.

2. Be sure to leave before the meeting is over.

3. When at a business meeting, vote yes to everything and ten do nothing to help.

4. The next day (or right after the meeting) find fault with your Board of Directors and Officers.

5. Take no part in volunteer company business.

6. Do not pay attention at trainings. Stay in the back and talk to another member. (Nobody will notice).

7. Show up to fires, but nothing else.

8. Talk cooperation. Don't cooperate.

9. If you are asked to help, always say you are too busy.

10. Never read anything pertaining to the organization or the fire service in general. You might learn too much.

11. Never accept an office; it is much easier to criticize than to actually do anything.

12. If appointed to a committee, never give it any time. Let the Chairman do all the work.

13. Don't do anything more than the bare minimum. Then when others willingly and unselfishly use their ability to help the cause scream and yell that the VFC is run by a clique.

I hope all members of the Catskill Fire Company read this article, and to all the non firefighters, let the Fire Company handle itself or YES you will be forced to have a "paid" department.

And yes I do have the balls to put my name to this blog. I am Harold Rivenburgh, President of the Catskill Fire Company, Inc.

Anonymous said...

Good for you harold. Your doing the
correct thing. I do believe you are truely tring your best to help the catskill fire dept. move forward. The only problem is alot
of your fellow officers along with
members stuck in the past are fighting against you.

At least your not blaming the problem on any one and are moving forward.
viva president Rivenburg!

Anonymous said...

lets get this new company back on the right track. While doing so we can give the new trucks in our fleet a new color to boost moral. We shouldnt have the old companies colors becuase were not them. Or are we?

Anonymous said...

"13 Things You Can Do To Kill a Volunteer Fire Company"

1. Don't attend trainings or meetings, but if you do, arrive late.
NEVER BRING UP ANYTHING THAT MIGHT UPSET THE STATUS QUO. YOUR REASON FOR ATTENDING IS TO AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THE BOARD, CHIEFS OR FIRE COMMISSIONER SAYS AND WANTS TO DO. (PERIOD). NEVER MAKE SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE ANYTHING WITHIN YOUR DYSFUNCTIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE YES MEN MAY HAVE TO PICK BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG AND WHAT EVER THE COMMISH AND CHIEF WANTS THATS IT(FINAL) lEGAL OR NOT, MORALLY RIGHT OR WRONG. HOSE 1 RULES!

2. Be sure to leave before the meeting is over.

3. When at a business meeting, vote yes to everything and then do nothing to help. IN CATSKILL THE WORKERS HAVE NO SAY.

4. The next day (or right after the meeting) find fault with your Board of Directors and Officers.

NEVER ADMIT THAT THEY ARE WRONG AND IF THEY DONT WANT TO PERSUE ONE OF THEIR OWN FAMILY, ITS FOR THE GOOD OF EVERYONE. THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. ITS NOT PICK THE BEST ONE FOR THE JOB. ITS ALWAYS AGREE WITH THE BOARD. ESPECIALLY IF YOUR PROTECTING A BOARD MEMBER. YOU CAN ALWAYS REPLACE A YOUNG ROOKIE, BUT A ALCOHOLIC WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT CONNECTIONS MUST NEVER BE EXPOSED!

5. Take no part in volunteer company business. DO YOU MEAN ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU CAN FOR THE CHOSEN CLAN WHILE YOUR TAKING IT UP THE BACK SIDES, SIDE WAYS. ITS NOT WHATS RIGHT, ITS WHATS BEST FOR THE CLAN!

6. Do not pay attention at trainings. Stay in the back and talk to another member. (Nobody will notice). HELL DON'T EVEN ATTEND! IF YOU DO YOU'LL BE ATTACKED AND CRITIZIED BECAUSE THE CHEIF SET UP[ THE TRAINING TO KISS HUDSONS ASS!

7. Show up to fires, but nothing else. THIS WAY THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY YOU AS A SUPPORTER OF THE NEW COMAPNY AND THEN ATTEND A FUNERAL IN CAIRO, AND WHILE STRUTTING YOUR CHEST AROUND LIKE A BIG PEACOCK CLAIM TO CAIRO FIREMEN, WHEN I BECOME THE PAID CHIEF I'M GOING TO KICK OUT THE FIVE BEST RESPONDERS IN Catskill.


8. Talk cooperation. Don't cooperate. ALWAYS ACT AS IF YOUR THEIR BEST FRIEND THEN, AS THEY WALK AWAY, TALK SHIT ABOUT THEM, AND ALWAYS BLAME THEM FOR EVERYTHING. STRUTT YOUR SHIT LIKE A PEACOCK BUT ALWAYS KNOW YOUR HUNG LIKE A CHIPMUNK WITH ABSOLUTLY NO BALLS. AT LEAST YOU CANT HIDE THE TRUTH FROM YOUR MEN WHO KNOW YOUR ABSOLUTELY BALL LESS

9. If you are asked to help, always say you are too busy.

10. Never read anything pertaining to the organization or the fire service in general. You might learn too much. ALWAYS DENIE AND MAKE COUNTER ACCUSSATIONS BLAMING DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEES INSTEAD OF TELLING THE TRUTH

11. Never accept an office; it is much easier to criticize than to actually do anything. VOTE HAS BEENS AND DO NOTHINGS INTO OFFICE, AND SUPPORT THE PROBLEM BY NEVER SAYING LETS INPROVE AND NEVER DO ANYTHING TO IMPROVE. YOU'LL ALWAYS FIND SOME SMALL MINDED WANTABE THAT WILL DO ALL THE WORK FOR YOU. THEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS COLLECT THE END OF YEAR AWARD/

12. If appointed to a committee, never give it any time. Let the Chairman do all the work. GO TWO YEARS WITH OUT EVER SELECTING A CHAIRMAN FOR ANY COMMITTEE AND TRYING TO PREVENT CONSOLIDATION FROM CONTINUING.

13. Don't do anything more than the bare minimum. Then when others willingly and unselfishly use their ability to help the cause scream and yell that the VFC is run by a clique. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN ITS THE TRUTH. BLAME IT ON THE WHISTLE BLOWERS AND DENY DENY DENY

I hope all members of the Catskill Fire Company read this article, and to all the non firefighters, let the Fire Company handle itself or YES you will be forced to have a "paid" department. JUST AS WE PLANNED TO DO ALL ALONG. FIRST WE THOUGHT WE'D STEAL THE EQUIPMENT, THEN WE DECIDED TO DESTROY THE MORALE AND DEPARTMENT. THEN THE TOWN WILL HAVE TO CREATE A PAID FIRE DEPARTMENT TO FILL THE VOID.

And yes I do have the balls to put my name to this blog. I am Harold Rivenburgh, President of the Catskill Fire Company, Inc. AS SOON AS THEY FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE THEY ARE GOING TO KICK YOU OUT AND RETALIATE AGAINST YOU FOR FUTURE YEARS JUST LIKE THEY DO REPEATEDLY TO ATTACK AND DESTROY DUSHANE!
12

Anonymous said...

AMEN TO NEW COLORS AND RETURN VILLAGE OF CATSKILL TO OUR TRUCKS!

Anonymous said...

just to change things a little!

I had a dream last night;

Where this group sat celebrating the success of their Full Court Press which was topped off with a magnificent Full Nelson. As they celebrated long into the night little did they understand the hornets nest that their childish pranks had stirred.

How little did they understand what they themselves had created!

ITS DONE! Was the powerful rumblings reverberating through the mountains of Greenland. Little did anyone realize that finally the forces of truth were about to clash with the forces of evil, as riotousness would finally prevail over ignorance and Sodom and Gomorrah would be destroyed! The cleansing of the once tranquil land of Greenland would take several weeks but finally Greenland would finally return to its once pristine and immaculate state; free of arrogance, jealousy and corruption.
for; IT WAS DONE!

Then I awoke to Larry the Cable Guy on TV saying GID HER DUN!

and I knew what I had to do.

Anonymous said...

THE OCCUPANTS OF GREENELAND SLEPT BLISSFULLY SNUGGLED IN THEIR BEDS, AS THE SUPER NATURAL FORCES CONTINUED TO INTENSIFY FOR THE ULTIMATE CLASH OF GOOD OVER EVIL.

THE FORCES OF EVIL WERE STRENGTHENING THEIR DEFENSES AS THE WHITE WARRIORS OF GOOD CLOSED IN FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. LITTLE DID ANYONE UNDERSTAND THE ULTIMATE CLASH WAS GOING TO OCCUR RIGHT HERE IN GREENELAND.
YOU WILL KNOW THE TIME IS NEAR WHEN THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE SO THICK YOU CAN CUT IT WITH A STICK. AND SUDDENLY ALL IN GREENELAND WILL FEEL THE GROUND SHUTTER, THE SKY DARKEN AND THE BOWELS OF THE EARTH WILL FINALLY OPEN UP.
THE OCCUPANTS THROUGHOUT GREENLAND WILL SHUTTER AT THE POWERS AMASSING AROUND THEM. AND THESE PETRIFIED EVIL DOERS WILL NOT HAVE YET EXPERIENCED THE FINAL OUTBREAK WHICH IS YET TO COME.
THE TRUTHFUL WILL KNOW IT WHEN THE SWINE SQUEAL FOR MERCY AND THE THUNDEROUS NOISE WILL EVEN STARTLE THE GNOMES PLAYING CANDLE PIN.
FOR THE ONCE BOISTEROUS AND PROUD WILL COWER DOWN AS THEIR EXPLOITS ARE EXPOSED TO THE WORLD. ONE BY ONE THEIR DASTARDLY DEEDS WILL REVEALED AND THEY WILL BE FORCED TO FACE THEIR ACCUSERS.
AND FINALY THEY WILL HAVE REALIZED WHAT THEY HAD DONE!
FOR; IT WILL BE DONE.

Anonymous said...

It is really upsetting that a certain group are ruining what used to be a great department. I am from a neighboring department and everyone here hopes you have an extensive change in your leadership at the next election.

We do like getting called in for mutual aid on a regular basis for calls you should be able to handle, but it is depressing looking back at what a good department Catskill once had.

Anonymous said...

Attention to all:

Any past firefighter or in the Dushane family (wannabe FF).

I hope you get the point that none of the neighboring fir departments in the town of catskill want your rif - raf from the click so stop applying and go back to your bottle of bourbon at the "little shop of horror" , "West side whitehouse" flower shop.

Thank You a Real Firefighter not from hose 1 or the village.

Hose 1 good job and great blosgs.

Anonymous said...

You Don't have to worry about the guys that left, its those who have their eyes on your budgets and your fire districts.
Remember a contract constantly gets renewed and nothing is sacred with either the Village or Town Boards. Your fire company did a great job for 75 years, they'll still sell you out if they want to.
p.s. this isn't for the phoney author of the previous blog, but simply for our brothers in the surrounding districts.

Anonymous said...

You Don't have to worry about the guys that left, its those who have their eyes on your budgets and your fire districts.
Remember a contract constantly gets renewed and nothing is sacred with either the Village or Town Boards. Your fire company did a great job for 75 years, they'll still sell you out if they want to.
p.s. this isn't for the phoney author of the previous blog, but simply for our brothers in the surrounding districts.

Anonymous said...

SIMPLE MATH WHY WASTE AMMUNITION WHEN YOU CAN SNEAK UP FROM BEHIND AND USE A KRAVOT?

Anonymous said...

WaterSmuggler,
This has nothing to do with the Dushanes or the G's. It is beyond that. It has everything to do with a private social club siphoning Taxpayers money and donations given for fire fighting purposes but now being used for anything bit fire fighting purposes. It is about stolen air bags and missing turnout gear, it is about wasting taxpayers money spending almost 1/2 a million dollars on a heavy rescue truck when a used panel truck would hold the cascade system and equipmemt we have. It is about making $$$ on consoladation, it is about exposing the clique on the hill and what you are doing. No one will care about Hose 1 but they will remember all the controversey asociated with that company of shame.

You started attacking someone. That is how the comments started but now the focus is on the corruption and incompetence.

THE FOCUS IS ON YOU!!!

VIVA CATSKILL FIRE COMPANY!!!!!

LETS EXPOSE IT ALL AND GET ER DONE!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Fill the ground rumbling beneath your feet?

Anonymous said...

TONIGHT ON CBS

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

A dead fire company, Hose #1 of Catskill,inc., digs itself out of a grave and walks in a zombie like state feeding on Taxpayers money and equipment as it journeys to the Town of Catskill where it hopes to find life as a fire company.

Can the Catskill Fire company and the taxpayers of Catskill stop this feeding frenzy before Hose 1 and ETA-311 make it to the town where with life, the Hose 1 diet for money will suck the Town of Catskill dry?

With a cast of about 5,000 this epic thriller is sure to please. Can good destroy evil?

Anonymous said...

Funny to see hose co#1 trying to turn everything back at Dushane's!
It's not about him any more so drop it. It's about hose 1 robbing
taxpayers of property and money.

Truth Hurts,almost as much as not having dist. chiefs!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I saw the movie Night of the living dead and so I know how it turns out. Hose 1 was going to get the town to start a district fire company and it was a go until the town of catskill found out that Hose 1 couldn't take trucks, the fire house and equipment from the village.

Then the town priced how much it would cost to build a fire house and get a truck and equipment and they found out that it was going to be millions of dollars.

So the town fiqured out that it was better to piss off a few hose 1 guys and not give them there own fire house only so that they could have district chiefs and red lights then to piss of the residents of the protection district with a tax bill 10 times more than they were used to paying.

The movies ending doesn't change no matter how many times you watch it.

Anonymous said...

You Know we all are here to do the same job one way or another. Some of us do it a lot better than others but eventually it gets accomplished and we mitigate the situation(sometimes we call in 15 companies plus or mis-diagnose the cause of the call completely) But that is their weak points. I come from a neighboring company which I have personally worked hand in hand with a lot of the brave firefighters of catskill and I'll be the first to say, there are several awesome firefighters.(GO STEVE DARLING) but regardless change your line officers, push the shit members out including crappy commish., get rid of crappy and useless equipment before it becomes another isor for you and take lessons from Kiskatom.Leeds.and West Athens and maybe it'll straighten out for you.

Love ya all , God Bless and Safety First.

Anonymous said...

How come no one wants to work with HOSE 1, West Side , Catskill Fire whatever one of the fiteen names you wanna use? I don't know. No one wants to even do the convention together with them thats pretty poor relations if you ask me. But oh well some day O MY GOD and the rest will get their heads out of their asses and come down off that high they call "EGO TRIP" but probably not.

JIMMY DiPERNA (AKA.Master P JR>)
he'd probably run that day care center better than it is now and thats poor too! I'm Disgusted.

Anonymous said...

In any organization, there has to be loyalty to the leadership and loyalty to the company and there must be a common purpose.

Although I am not from the Catskill Fire Company but a member of another company looking from the outside in, it looks to me that for some members, there is more loyalty to their former fire companies than the new company. I spoke to a member and he told me that him and alot of former hose 1 guys still think of themselves as Hose 1 members and not the members of the new company. Maybe that is true about hose 2 and 5 members but I'm not sure about that. All I can go on is what has been directly told to me. I don't think a majority of the Hose 1 guys think that Hose 1 will somehow rise up from the ashes and take over but some do.

The key is to get common loyalty and common purpose. You can't have officers loyal to Hose 1 and then expect that they are going to be able to effectively lead the Catskill Fire Company. Hose 1 is dying because if it was strong than this problem of leadership wouldn't have as much effect on the company.

I'll tell you how we look at this from the outside. People in the Catskill Fire Company who keep holding on to there old companies are held to ridacule just like the teenage immature guy whose girlfriend breaks up with him but he keeps on trying to get back with her and whines about her eventhogh she has moved on with her life. Guys like this are pathetic and that is how we think this action is Pathetic. The only difference is that this immature behaviour is affecting public safety and hurts the fire departments reputation not just your own like the guy following and taking pictures of the ex-girlfriend and boyfriend or whatever.

ETA - 311 is a constant reminder of the problem. "owning" that truck to some Hose 1 members is important why? Is it even being used? It is old isn't it? What purpose does it serve? It just hurts morale and gives what I hope are few immature guys something to hold on to.

As long as you keep this childish behaviour up, there isn't many on the outside that has respect for those who keep holding on to the detriment of the company and the people you are supposed to serve.

You aren't going to have a strong fire company until you have loyalty and the first thing you have to do is stop being loyal to Hose 1 or 5 or whatever. Get rid of those social clubs before your childish actions have everyone convinced that you are the laughing stock of Greene County Fireamatics.

Anonymous said...

CHEWBACCA NEEDS TO GET A LIFE AND A GRASP ON THE CONCEPT THAT HE DOES NOT NEED TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF. HE HAS ALREADY DONE SO AND LET ME TELL YOU IT IS A BAD ONE. SO CHEWY DO US ALL A FAVOR AND LEAVE FIREMATICS, STOP DRINKING AND STOP PUNCHING TEETH OUT OF INNOCENT D.J.'S WHO PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT FOR YOU SECRET SAUSAGE PARTIES!

GO SAUSAGE SMUGGLER!!!!

Anonymous said...

YOU MUST read the 3 comments to the newest edition of seeinggreene. They follow. Non fireman and none members of the "home town boys" are weighing in and they are getting tired of what is happening at CFC too.

Dick May @ 10:23 AM

3 Comments:
At 11:56 AM, Anonymous said...
I'm an "old timer" and like most of us "old timers" the young guys don't listen to us and they have to make their own mistakes and we have to sit by and watch them make mistakes eventhough they are the same mistakes that we made when we were younger. What I write won't be listened to and will probably be ignored but here goes.

I am a member of the Greene County Firematic community but not a member of the Catskill Fire Company or any of the former companies so I'm an outsider. I don't know everything that is going on but people from the Catskill Fire company talk to me.

The problem is that a few of the guys I've talked to have told me that they may fight fires under the Catskill Fire Company name but they aren't members really. Their loyalty lies with Hose 1. There might be guys who think the same way from the other former companies and I'm sure that there are but they haven't come out and said it. When you have fire men and leaders who are more loyal to the former company than the new company, it creates morale problems. Every decision and action is questioned are they doing this to help the Catskill Fire Company or are they acting to further the old company.

While I appreciate loyalty to the old company, it is time to move forward and stop trying to keep these old companies alive by being associate members, having meetings and all the other nonsense that is unfortunatly going on. There are many professional dedicated fire fighters from Catskill but you men aren't acting dedicated or professional and that is the talk of the county.

You need to let these old fire companies die and stop holding on to the past. Having ETA-311 in Hose 1's name just perpetuates the problem just like choosing paint colors that are being used to send the message that the old company is still alive and in control.

Either you are going to grow up, let the old companies die and unify as the Catskill Fire Company or you are going to continue having problems and we'll all think that you are foolish selfish people who put yourselves first.


At 12:53 PM, Anonymous said...
Sir,you hit it on the head. I'm a member of the CFC and the problem
lies in loyalty to hose 1. We need the village to dissolve all three
former companies and leave only the catskill fire co. Next we need leaders who show up and show loyalty to the CFC not hose 1!!!


At 2:54 PM, Anonymous said...
As a roving Seeing Greene corespondent I often find myself out tramping through the hills of Greene Land seeking out the indigenous populace. Its refreshing to return to the office after a hard day and discover some well aged reasoning as found in the prior Blog. From its start the transition has been intentionally sabotaged by certain old timers who just couldn't give up their acquired belongings. To them it was always mine and not the firemens.. These die hards always felt that they were going to be able to reverse the Village Boards Decision to consolidate..They believed that if they screwed things up enough the board would simply give in. Ironically, the Catskill Fire Company was voted and approved by the majority of the Catskill Fire Department membership.. Most of the members who were pro consolidation have been very supportive of the new company. What was never considered was that the old wall bangers from two of the fire companies would conspire together to disrupt the consolidation process. First it was a totally inept Fire President who could not move the company forward one iota. (He never intended to either). However, many of the pro volunteer services gave their all and continued to function after a majority of all three companies stopped coming around. They originally thought that they would be able to eventually prove their abilities to the Better than thou crowd. However after two years of uncovering scheme after scheme they have said enough is enough. They stated that they no longer intended to be cast aside in order to allow a small group of egotistical individuals further their life long dream of becoming Full time Paid Firemen at the what ever cost to the tax payers.

The dedicated volunteers refuse to be included with this groups scheme of trying to hijack the Volunteer fire service. They have started becoming more and more outspoken each and every time they uncover another scheme reportedly instigated by the Chief and Fire Commissioner. They are disgruntled because they are often ignored concerning critical decisions that affect the future of the Catskill Fire Company. Weighing in on all of the various events, black listing of members, falsify reports, cover ups, and other activities which are evidently designed to further degrade the capabilities of the department; the members feel they have no other choice but to join the ever increasing ranks of whistle blowers and make it known to the public.

Some informants have spoken about the obvious poor morale and the over all reduction in service to the public. They are very adamant about the direction that the Fire Commissioner and Fire Chief are intentionally leading the company.

An ever increasing number of tax payers are joining ranks with these firemen by voicing their opposition to a paid fire department. Their various concerns about poor response, inadequate training, law suits, Mis- appropriation of tax payer funds, footing the bill for Village Trustees and Fire Company Members wrongful transgressions.

The hottest topic seems to currently be the failure of the Village Board to properly dissolving of the three fire companies IAW NY State Not For Profit Law. It will be interesting to compare the Catskill Fire Department to the Literacy Volunteers of Columbia and Greene Counties. Will the tax payers simply smile if the County boards simply instruct the volunteers to take home what ever assets they wish? And if someone decides to keep the van or bus, can they just put their name on the door like Hose 1? Why are basic laws and standard operating procedures ignored when discussing a volunteer fire department? Is it because all of them are granted special favors or do we simply have a weak Village Board and an over zealot cliche within the Catskill Fire Company?

This reporter plans to continue his day to day coverage of this fast paced story as it unfolds. I hope to be able to report on the other side of this by next week.


Post

Anonymous said...

Hose company #1,INC earned its money providing service in the fire district and what Hose company #1, INC wants to do with its money is the business of the membership. Hose Company #1 is not afraid to fight for whats right.

Anonymous said...

9:57 pm, is that all you can say?
What a dumbass!!! You have been disbanded so the taxpayers money
goes to the new company!!! I guess
we'll see more hose 1 mugshots on the front page of the daily mail.

Anonymous said...

money earned? That is another way of saying payed! Hose 1 people want to be payed firemen but not in the sense of getting a paycheck but to fill their corporate coffers so that they can spend the money "anyway they want".

Maybe these guys aren't so dedicated to fight fires because they aren't in it to VOLUNTEER but are only interested in fire fighting when the activity fills a bank account and allows the acquisition of possessions!

Anonymous said...

VIVA LEEDS. THE REAL HOSE COMPANY NO.1,, VIVA KISKATOM THE REAL WEST SIDE STATION,, VIVA W. ATHENS JUST BECAUSE JOHN JR. SAID SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Have Leeds take over the fire protection district dashing all hopes that "the boys on the hill" in Catskill will rise again and see how fast these wannabe volunteers head for the hills.

Anonymous said...

Stanley Duchane for Fire Chief. Lets really get the smoke before the fire.

Anonymous said...

Oscar Sorge for Fire Comishner.

Anonymous said...

Yeah Boy! Leeds should take it over in partnership with kiskatom too. Leeds already averages more manpower than oh my god's crew and could probably keep mutual aid to three counties or less without Hudson fire to hold our hands and show us how its done. Kudos to you and thanks for the vote of confidence.

VIVA LEEDS 2006!!!

Anonymous said...

When Catskill Hose #1 was negotiating with the Town of Catskill to breakaway from the Catskill Fire Department to start a fire protection district fire company, rumor has it that Leeds was approached by the Town to serve the district until the New fire district company got started. Leeds said no and then the Town went to Kiskatom who also said no.

Is this rumor true? What's the story?

Anonymous said...

What do you think of a Town Board that would conspire to start a new Fire Company when faithful volunteers were supporting the fire department already? What motivated this notion? Did they really negotiate the rental of the garage on lower 9w?
How did they select the individual/company who would run the Town of Catskill Ambulance? Who was profiting from this transaction and who had to pay for the costs? Who is related to who and what is the real under lying story that most of us missed.
That's the typical story in GreeneLand. Someone related to someone, supporting ones endeavors over the good of the tax payers!

Anonymous said...

If Hose 1 owns ETA 3-11 as they claim, why have we been paying for its repairs since it was purchased?
maybe we should agree that they own it and then sue Hose 1 and the Village for misappropriation of tax payer funds! Wait, we'll have to pay for the cost of defending and prosecuting. the coffers will be bankrupt befor we know it! Ahhhhhh! We can just raise taxes!

Anonymous said...

Who were the Town Board members actively involved in this?

Anonymous said...

Hey, didn't Hose 1 ilegally sign for the purchase of a rescue truck just befor consolidation when the Village Board is the only ones allowed to purchase trucks for the village? What happened to that truck? Has it ever been delivered or does someone have it hidden in their garage likethey did with the air bags. what other equipment disappeared?

Anonymous said...

I was at a Town Board Meeting several years ago and remember President Ed Collins stating that Hose 1 would be able to cover the district with just two trucks ETA 3-11 and ETA 3-12.

Ironically, Hose 1 had previously purchased three ladder trucks in the past for the fire district!

They either needed the ladder trucks or they mis lead the tax payers when they purchased the three ladder trucks.

Anonymous said...

The air Bags were the only thing reported stolen. The contract on the rescue truck was cancelled by the Village Board. Ironically, the present board allowed the Catskill Fire Company (Controled by Hose 1 members) to purchase a bigger Heavyier rescue Truck.
Even though the professional Fire Department Advisers recommended against this purchase. But if you look at the credentials of the buyers you can understand the rational on buying this truck. NEWER = BIGGER =BETTER = YOU CANT TELL HOSE 1 WHAT TO DO!

Anonymous said...

I was reading through the blogs and felt I had to comment on the comments attempting to slam Dushane and Hose2.

I remember Hose 1 submitting a list of their members who were willing to quit the Village Fire company and join the Towns proposed Willeys Hose 1. Ironically, Hose 1 utilized the World Trade Center Flag Raising (following 911) as their cover sheet in their plan to try and raise tax payer sympathy for their misguided efforts.

I also remember Hose 1 members hosting the secret meeting to actively support the displacement of the Village of Catskill. They couldn't care less about DPW, PD, Vil Employees, and the two other fire departments. Their goal was simply to be the only ones left!

Anonymous said...

I do remeber that Hose one presented a plan for a district fire company to the town with the firemen raising the flag at the WTC as a cover sheet. How offensive was that!!!!

Hose 1 went after the village because if the village dissolved they would have had their private fire company.

As now, they don't care what the consequences are to safety or the taxpayers as long as it furters their agenda!!

Anonymous said...

the village trustees better do something or we'll send a message next village election in March. Cotten and potato head will see what happens when you have fire fighters and taxpayers angry about social clubs and public safety and spending $450,000 on a needless rescue truck

Anonymous said...

We are INCORPORATED and are not a part of the village fire department and NEVER will be!! It won't be long before the Catskill Fire Company goes down in a heap but Hose Company No.1 INC. will be left. We were created to fight fires in the district and not in the village. Look what happened to Dushane and Battalino. This village board won't make the same mistake because they know that Hose Company No 1 INC is not a Village controlled Fire company and they will let us provide the protection like we used to without interfering in what we do as a INCORPORATED fire company
Who still owns a truck? Hose 1 Inc. Still in our house? Yep. Still have majority control over the new company? Yep.

Step back all you angry firefighters. The East Side is a thing of the past. Where's E-31? Oh yeah on the back burner, in Hose 1's house, FOR SALE!

Now Who still owns a truck? Hose 1 Inc. Still in our house? Yep. Still have majority control over the new company? Yep.

Step back all you loser firefighters. The East Side is a thing of the past. HA HA HA Where's E-31? Oh yeah on the back burner, in OUR house, FOR SALE!

WHO RULES? YOU KNOW WHO!!!

Anonymous said...

AND THE RUMBLE CONTINUED TO BUILD AS THE IGNORAMUS ABOVE CELEBRATES AND THE SHREEK REACHES ITS CREDENZO!

Anonymous said...

THE CONTEST FOR 100 ATTABOYS ARE STILL ON GOING. MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR ENTRYS, BUT NO ONE HAS HIT THE JACK POT YET.
FOR ANY ONE NEW TO THE BLOG HERE A REVIEW OF THE CONTEST.
1. 100 ATTA BOYS TO ANYONE WHO CAN NAME THE SPECIAL DISPLAY SET UP WITH DUBIOUS HONOR OF AN INFAMOUS LOCAL CHARACTER IN THE VILLAGE OF CATSKILL.
a HINT WAS GIVEN LAST WEEK INDICATING THAT IT WAS LOCATED NEXT TO THE PADDLE BALL DISPLAY AT THE CAPITOL DISTRICT LIGHTS DISPLAY IN Washington PARK, ALBANY.
THIS WEEKS HINTS ARE:
ITS USED IN MANY VARIOUS FORMS SOLID,HARD, SOFT AND CREAMY. regardless OF HOW WELL IT APPEARS, THE END RESULT IS IT ALWAYS TURNS TO SHTTTT.
ITS BRAIN HAS BEEN REPORTED TO BE THE SIZE OF A SPUD,
AND ITS ACTUAL SIZE IS 30 TIMES THE REST OF THE MASS THAT SUPPORTS IT.
VISIT THE CAPITAL DISTRICT LIGHTS AND SEE IF YOU CAN LOCATE THIS DISPLAY AND REPORT BACK HERE!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Anonymous said...

GID HUR DUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I will work side by side with any and all of the original citz hose 5 members. Oh yeah and by the way lets have a contest on how many time you hase 1 assholes have to try and say you own a truck. Bid f'in deal I own a truck . Do you see me rubbin my d**k over it? No so give it up already. The village needs the real firemen (ctz 5) not hose1 or 2's. and the town will be covered by LEEDS and Kiskatom so get ready and start packin the gear up and find someones house to store it at. GET A LIFE YOU LOSERS. (former catskill member)

Anonymous said...

ORIGINAL POSTING OF CHRISTMAS CONTEST!

I should mention that
They honored our very own Fire Commish with his own dedicated light display!

check it out, its right after the paddle ball display.

who ever reports back with the correct display on this Blog will recieve 100 "at-a-boys" for truth detective of the week!

We're waiting for your answers!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Anonymous said...

Its really sad that the imature have to be in control guys have done so much harm to the Catskill Fire Company! Members from Hose 1,2,and 5's said the hell with the control freaks and continued to work side by side with anyone responding.
Its not these dedicated individuals who continue to support the fire deparment despite the constant antagonism and confrontations caused by our leadership. Its the oficers that have to make a pack to stick together, its the group that attacks anyone who simply wants whats right to be done

Its obvious that the Village Board lacks the moral courage to address these problems and it will be the actions of concerned citizens saying enoughs enough!

Send letters to the coomptrollers office, NY State Attrny Generals Office, IRS, ALL news papers and News agencies and demand that someone look into these accussations!
We are confident that the truth will come out and the swine will be exposed for their true deceptions to the tax payers. What could it hurt?
The Truth Detectives!

Anonymous said...

the tribute is "frosty the blowman"?

Anonymous said...

is the tribute dumbo?

Anonymous said...

what about the gingerbread hoe?

Anonymous said...

bob the builder?

Anonymous said...

CORKY THE RETARDED SNOWMAN?

Anonymous said...

Our offices are being bombarded daily with answers to our holiday contest!

No it isn't bob the builder, corky the retarded snowman, (I can see the resemblance good try!)

nor frosty the blow man,
nor the Ginger bread Ho,
nor the King of the Hill,
nor survivor of the fittist
nor muscle head
nor Which way'd he go,
nor All I want is my two front teeth,
nor First in Name First in Shame,
nor the house of the living dead,
nor Viva Hose 1.

Keep the responses coming!

Remember the Capital Lights Display is supported by numerous buisnesses and your $10,00 will go towards helping the Albany Police Benelovant Childrens Program. Its well worth the cost and the money goes to a good cause. Allow yourself about 1 1/2 hours to see the entire display.

As an added bonus, the winner can have his picture taken in front of the display with the Commish himself!

Washington park in unison with the Albany Police Bennelivant Association is rummerored to have two serious contenders for next years Holiday Spectacular. Both, contenders are our very own fire Chief Oh My God and Fire Company Board member "Corky".

The first contender for next year honoary display is Oh-My-God depicting himself calling in 36 mutual aid fire departments for a burned out light ballast (favored by Central Hudson. Rumored to be willing to install over ioo,ooo,ooo lights for this display, oponenets to this display claim that it will be both a health safety issue!

The sencond contender is Budweisers choice of Corky leaning against ETA 3-11 drinking a Bud saying YOU JUST CANT HAVE 1 (,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9) Hell You just cant have enough delivered to you at a fire scene. The display will include a double bladed marine helicoptor delivering a palot load of Buds to Corky on top of ETA 3-11

To make the sign appeal to a wider audiance they are considering adding "Dont Drink and Drive" Unless of course your brothers the Fire Commissioner"!

Happy Holidays and enjoy the show at Washington Park!

Anonymous said...

At 6:44 AM, Anonymous said...
There is many things going on good and bad. Many hidden truths that are known to some and unknown to others. Lets face it, they are not going to openly tell the company to its face. Just look how often Oh My God over embellishes himself when he puts down others. There is not one single mutual aid company that has Chief as well trained as him accept possibly his beloved Hudson.
A few examples of behind the scenes manipulations come to mind; like the "cFc" emblem. The large "F" stands for F__k the Catskill Fire Company. I learned this over hearing former Hose 1 members bullshitting in the bay after the vote for the emblem was made. Pissed me off then and still does! Yet during the meeting these same individuals where in total support of the new emblem because they knew what it actually would represent; while the rest of us would support the new company moving forward.

We cast ballots on the new color of the trucks and uniforms. Lime green was selected. I watched the president count the ballots. How did red and white or red and black come in as the only colors? Because the only one I ever heard state it was Randy. I never heard it brought before the membership again. Just a done deal!

Remember the uniform purchase? The first color selected was Tan. It had the historical color of Hose 1's early parade uniform. When the uniform was presented it was mistaken by one member as a Lady's rain jacket. Nothing was wrong with the color it was the skimpy wrinkled thin look of the material. What happened next?

The wheel chair brigade was remobilized and a new color was selected. The change insured that the Hose 1 look would live on again. The color is a dark blue one or two shades from Hose 1's Blue. Yes if you place it side by side to a hose 1 uniform it appears a different shade but its Hose 1 all the way. Once again we overheard the comments that they were keeping Hose 1 alive!

ETA 3-11 continues to display the arrogance and contempt that the Chief and the Fire Commissioner has for the CFC and any member from the former companies.

You know as well as I that many of us have continued to support the Catskill Fire Company despite the fact that we know that the leadership despises us. The fact that the Village Board has failed to listen or support the membership time and time again is a given. Are we trying to make it public? Not for years, but they repeatedly refused to listen to our concerns that we expressed to them. They allowed us no other choice than to publicly report on these events. Embarrassing? Just as much to us as to you. If you speak up for whats right your automatically labled a trouble maker and your living in the past. Not true on the members who have actively supportted this company throughout this ordeal.The 603 blog points out where we ended up and why.

Whats sad is many of us have gone out of our way to improve the morale of the fire company while a a few are still intentionally destroying it. What are their individual motives? I don't know. I think there are many different desires. And I know that certain individuals are being hurt undeservedly on both sides simply because of the repercussions from these antics. RS and JDsr have gone out of their way to make everyone feel part of the fire house and they both have 20 - 30 plus years with Hose 1. While others continuously show their contempt and and go out of their way to insure that their is always a distinction between former Hose 1, 2, and 5's. You can see it in special details like funerals or public appearances or mutual aid or stand stand-bys at Hudson. The chosen ones are sought out first and only then are the "unacceptable" asked to help fill any voids. Funny how the unacceptables are the first one asked to do the undesirable work details.

What are the under lying reasons for many things that have been pushed through the company and who is the ultimate benefactors every time?

trucks Painted Red with white Stripes = Hose 1 lives on,

New Dark blue uniforms = Hose 1 lives on,

Hose 1 remains on ETA 3-11 = Hose 1 Lives On,

Hose 1 allowed to claim owner ship of ETA 3-11 = Hose 1 lives on.

Village of Catskill removed from all trucks = Hose 1 lives on.

Big red Number one on West Side building (Justified by the farce that its address is 1 Central Ave.)= Hose 1 lives on.

Fire House Web Site depicting only Hose 1 pictures = Hose 1 lives on.

Fire House web site depicting E 3-1 for sale with the caption [Like New, hardly used, cover your moves] (WHO has excess to this web site? Fire Commish Chewens, Fire Chief Ormerod, 2nd Asst Fire Chief Ormerod? (Note: the cover your moves is a veiled threat to East Side members)= Hose 1 lives on.

Sale of Ladder 3-2 to Coxsackie = Hose 1 lives on.

Attempted sale of E 3-21 = Hose 1 lives on.

Closure of Osborn Hose 2 Station = Hose 1 Lives on.

Closure of East Side Station = Hose 1 lives on.

Fire Department service at funeral Home intended to send message of Hose 1 and not Catskill Fire Company = Hose 1 lives on.

25 year member as token asst chief and 12 year member as Fire chief = Hose 1 lives on.

Hose 1 antique truck placed in convention to be inspected while Hose 5 truck was placed in for show (Unknowingly to men who spent week cleaning her) = Hose 1 lives on.

All leadership positions in Chiefs, Line officers and Company board given to Hose 1 members and token positions given to others = Hose 1 lives on.

Sign over West Side Station replaced while East Side Station sign removed and never replaced = Hose 1 lives on.

The continuous uncovering of the Hose 1 emblem on the entrance floor before all meetings held at the West Side Station = Hose 1 lives on.

LETS RID THE CFC OF THE HOSE 1 CONNECTION JUST LIKE THEY ATTEMPPTED TO RID THEMSELVES OF HOSE 2 AND HOSE 5! VIVA THE CATSKILL FIRE COMPANY!!

Anonymous said...

3-15 sucks!

Anonymous said...

T3-15
"coming up short since 1986"

p.s.
Theres no such thing as
L three,one,five
or
Catskill Car 1,2,3

That just sounds like someone who
want's to be a Greene Car and can't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


look at our "FCC" license!!!

Anonymous said...

The continuous uncovering of the Hose 1 emblem on the entrance floor before all meetings held at the West Side Station.

Let's cover it for good with paint!

WE MUST DESTROY ALL POSSESSIONS AND THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH HOSE 1!

Lets leave the CFC mark!

Anonymous said...

Don't worry, the tiles have already been removed and replaced with plain white ones.


Fuck hose 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

What about the doors of eta 3-11?

Anonymous said...

I heard that the 2nd asst. chief
who posted all of his training on the web site hasn't finished a single class yet. 3-30 just because
you went to a class a couple of times doesn't mean you passed it or finished. Your just blowing smoke up your already stretched out colon!!!!!!! Almost as bad as your I'll never be a greene car brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. Does his work provide him with dental care? His teeth are all chipped up and black!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

sleepy the black tooth slack jaw yokel and your wife bozo the clown,
we haven't forgotten about you guys!!!!

Anonymous said...

This is a direct threat from the officers of the CFC that they will
find out who is writing the blogs and throw them out. Also they feel these blogs are connected to them being turned into PESH for several violations. I look at it as a if they didn't do anything wrong they wouldn't have gotten any violations which included several of serious nature.

cover your moves = when we find out who's writing blogs we will retaliate against you!!!Same for the PESH informant.

That threat is illegal under PESH
law which covers whistle blowers,
and a copy of the web page before it was changed has been sent to PESH!

Also a copy of our PESH violations
is hanging up out side of the F.D.
bar in the truck bay and is there for all taxpayers to see!!!!

I hope the VILLAGE OF CATSKILL steps in before they hurt one of us
for exercising our freedom of press and speech!

Anonymous said...

cover them with paint too!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Viva The Catskill Fire Company!!!!

Anonymous said...

Something must be rumbling in the cess pool that contains Hose 1 die hards!

I've been observingt them coming forth as if someone recharged their pace makers.

Holy shttt! We must have a war going on! To bad they cant do much but oh well.

Anonymous said...

The Famous Hose 1 Quote of the century.

IF IT LOOKS LIKE SHHHHHT,

SMELLS LIKE SHHHHHT,

FEELS LIKE SHHHHHHHT,

TASTE LIKE SHHHHHHT'

ITS PROBALLY SHHHHHHT!

NAH, ITS JUST HOSE 1

Anonymous said...

GID HUR DUN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

At 5:27 AM, Anonymous said...
Its finally been announced that former Catskill Fire Department Chief George Lackie has been selected as the next Assistant Greene County Fire Coordinator. For all you radio and scanner buffs he will be known as Greene Car 4. It was a hard decision to make with many highly qualified applicants applying for the position. However the bottom line is that Chief Lackies' myriad of qualifications speak for themselves. These qualifications, along with his leadership style and his ability to handle stress under pressure all help to make him an excellent choice for this position. Congratulations Way to go George !

Anonymous said...

I bet that there are a few people who are very sorry that they decided to open this can of worms by attacking Dushane and others over the lawsuit against the school.

I hear that the public is reading this blog and the evil hose 1 empire is tumbling down.

ViVa George Lackie, ViVa Catskill Fire Company.

Your friends in Leeds and Kiskatom are behind you. It is time to put those who think that they are kings up on the hill to bed.

Anonymous said...

the problems with morale are being caused by the continued exsistence of a monster called Catskill Hose company #1 Inc. The only way to kill this mosster and solve many of our problems is to kill Hose #1.

Money is the the life blood of that non-fire fighting trouble making fire company. Drain the money and assets and it dies. When the money and property are gone, they will stop being associate members, stop holding meetings and etc and the CFC will start to grow and unify.

For the sake of the Catskill Fire Company and more important, for the sake of the residents who rely on fire protection, complain to the village board, the comptroller and the AG.

We need to do this or things will never change for the better.

Anonymous said...

the problems with morale are being caused by the continued exsistence of a monster called Catskill Hose company #1 Inc. The only way to kill this mosster and solve many of our problems is to kill Hose #1.

Money is the the life blood of that non-fire fighting trouble making fire company. Drain the money and assets and it dies. When the money and property are gone, they will stop being associate members, stop holding meetings and etc and the CFC will start to grow and unify.

For the sake of the Catskill Fire Company and more important, for the sake of the residents who rely on fire protection, complain to the village board, the comptroller and the AG.

We need to do this or things will never change for the better.

Anonymous said...

Catskill fire dept has had only 10 calls this year? I find that hard to believe. If your going to have a website u should keep it updated or pass the job on to someone that can!

Anonymous said...

H as beens
O nly care about $
S wap wifes
E nemy of volunterism

O ne to many drinks
N ever tell truth
E verbody knows now

Anonymous said...

Obviously "hose one" isnt one company and never will be. You cant put two different opposing people together and expect it to work, because it wont. Especially when one side is nothing but drunk, cheating, liars. Firefighters are supposed to help protect their district not fight over shtt. Grow up or leave it to the men that can actually handle it.

Anonymous said...

Hose 1 is probably still on ETA 3-11 because the money used to change it went to booze, so dont be so proud boys.

Anonymous said...

H elp for $ only
O nly care about $
S ecret bank acct.
E gos worth $1,000,000

O k we own ETA 3-11
n aturally red
E mblem our pride.

Anonymous said...

I was just rereading your original 25 Oct piece The Private Law Suit on the Dushane Story. Its really obvious that their was a long history of Hose 1 involvement in these attacks as even admitted by some Hose 1 members.

I did just realize that the former Catskill School Board President is a NY State Corrections Officer. You read through the 280 something blogs and you realize there is a awful lot of NY State Correction/Hose 1/family ties associated in this entire hodgepodge.

Do GreeneLanders live in typical small town USA;
or,
a land full of vindictive, cut throat, small minded hipocrites and assinine imbeciles?

Anonymous said...

i think that nicely describes all of hose 1.

Anonymous said...

me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

same here!

Anonymous said...

You forgot little dicked mothers who have never been anywhere and never done anything, and worse of all they fail everytime they are given a small challenge, first the academy twice and now they will fail the corrections academy because their egotistical small minded faggot asses cant take a little stress Whaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!Talk abot dropping out of classes all the time, wait till they run out of a burning building because they are cowards and leave you to fend for yourself!

Anonymous said...

This reporter was driving home after a long day of Christmas shopping, when the scanner suddenly came alive with Greeene County Fire Control announcing "Catskill Firemen stand-by, report of a structure fire at the Ferro Scrap Metal yard on 9W. Once again this roving reporter found himself right in the midst of another fire operation. When I left home that day, I was determined to finish my Christmas shopping, I never expected that I would be covering a structure fire that evening. I was completely exhausted as I started my drive back to Catskill, but all of this would suddenly change!

I believe I know exactly how all volunteer responders must feel when the alarm goes out.. You suddenly go from everyday, mundane boredom to an explosive adrenaline producing high as the scanner starts announcing the emergency call. You suddenly drop everything as you refocus your attention to the emergency at hand. I was experiencing first hand the feeling that motivates volunteer firemen all over to stop what ever they were doing and respond to the alarm.

Wednesday was just like that. A typical evening suddenly changed as a small fire with heavy smoke was reported to Greene county 911. I arrived on the scene just after Chief Ormerod, followed by Ladder 3-15 and then Eta 3-11.. Firemen began pulling Hoses off of ETA 3-11 while the ladder was erected. Water lines were able to sustain water for a very short time and then would run out. The fire which was showing only in the rear of the building continued to spread. It was apparent as time went on that this was going to be a repeat of the New Years Eve fire from which I also had an eagles view from Rt 23.

It appeared that several things hampered the fireman's efforts. Initially there was considerable confusion about the placement of trucks and where to put the portable water pool which ended up moving three times before a suitable location was found. An insufficient water supply hampered the fire fighters the entire time. Trying to keep the pressure up on the numerous hose lines for more than 15 -30 seconds at a time was nearly impossible. ETA 3-11 appeared to be used to block off Rt. 9W from traffic but would have been better utilized to shuttle water to the scene. It seemed that three or four orange cones would be sufficient to carry out the road duties and free up the tanker to shuttle water. Ladder 3-15 has the same capability to pump water and proper positioning of the water pools and equipment the first time would have better served the needs of the fire fighters. There was also delays in shuttled water as certain tankers refused fill their trucks at Catskills location and chose to ride by the first fill location and go to the second fill site simply because it was manned by non Catskill firemen.

Many of the firemen were wondering why additional tankers were not called into to supply water. One firemen was over heard remarking, we call in 38 mutual aid companies for a water break which eventually shorts out a fluorescent light fixture. That fire probably would have never occurred if we had followed our own SOPs and turned off the damn water, yet. We have a working structure fire and the Chief refuses to call in addition pumpers to insure enough water is available to fight the fire. And the only reason is that the Chief doesn't want to give our critics the chance to criticize him about always over reacting. Ironically the rumblings now are due to the Chief not taking action.

Lessons Learned,

Once determined that a structure fire exists call in sufficient water trucks.

Continuously Reevaluate and readjust equipment and resources as needed.

initial control placement of equipment and water sources critical to any non hydrant area.

Order an adequate size water truck to shuttle water.

Use ladder truck or engines at fire scene to free up ETA to shuttle water..

Immediately place ETAs in water transport mode instead of tying truck up at scene where it can't do a thing without water.
.

Anonymous said...

Viva The Catskill Fire Company!

Anonymous said...

NEWS FLASH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOT OFF THE PRESS

The Truth Detectives announce that they have a winner in the Holiday Contest!

The winning contestant has yet to be identified , but he is rumored to be a Hose 1 member who is afraid to come out of the closet!

The winning entry was Mr. Potato Head!

Its believed that the last clue helped break the stalemate in the contest. That clue was What do you call Chewens being nice to a Hose 2 member? Mr. SWEET POTATO HEAD!.

8:21 PM

Anonymous said...

I heard the only reason he wants to be a correction officer is so he can try to get himself out of all the trouble he's in. Nice try
I sure your wife will have to pick you up when your crying so much you can't drive home. Just like last time you got arrested. What a loser.
He has wanted to be alot of things in life, but so far he's only a thief and a dick head!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I pay taxes, in return those taxes pay the salery of the police dept. So am I paying randy to be a dispatcher or a fire chief? Every time I turn around he's leaving work for fire calls and the taxpayers foot the bill for him and someone on overtime to cover his shift. Sounds like an abuse of taxpayers money to me. Is he a dispatcher or paid fire chief? Not only would I like to know ,but so would the comptrollers office!!!!!

Anonymous said...

This was just sent to me from a member of the catskill FD. I will leave the name of the writer out in order to protect him! This shows how upset the members are at all the hose one crap going on, and the direct disregard for firefighter safety!!!!

"Brothers,



Just when I thought I have seen it all.



It totally amazes me that people “THINK” that they are qualified to do a job. The sad part is that those people who “THINK” they are qualified have baffled others into “THINKING” the same.



It cannot be stressed enough the importance of the people that are put in charge of firefighters be qualified to do such. It is utter negligence by any organization to install (vote in) anyone into a position who doesn’t have the credentials to fulfill the job. The village of Catskill Fire Department has such in place in the OPERATIONS – BOOK 1, SECTION 6.0.



PESH / OSHA / NFPA, etc; are written in plan text and in ENGLISH.



Fire Department training instructors must receive a higher level of training and education than the Fire Dept. members they will be teaching. This includes being more knowledgeable about the functions to be performed by the Fire Dept. and the hazards involved.


The Village of Catskill Fire Department Safety and Training Division MUST be proactive in it’s adherence to the required regulations set forth. We will be starting the mandatory 8 Hour OSHA (PESH) Safety Training early in January 2006. Your input and suggestions are always welcome and will be taken under consideration for the Safety and betterment of the members who diligently serve…"

viva the CFC!!!!!!Down with hose 1!!

Anonymous said...

OPERATIONS – BOOK 1, SECTION 6.0. ???????????????????????

Who are you kidding? That book is only to satisfy any state agency who might come in to inspect. The fact is well known amoung us that it is rarly followed. In fact, why should we follow guidelines when we dont have to! Look the other way and pretend everything is peaches and cream, rosy and nice and when a tragedy eventually happens the village will pay! Thats what our insurance premiums pay for!

Anonymous said...

Way to go Harold, now if we can only get our Village Board to stand up and recognize their are serious problems and not just accept a Blackcoats opinion simply because he CHAIRS the Fire Departent seat on the Village Board! He was never elected by anyone as the Fire Commissioner and in fact is not a Fire Commissioner, even though he has worn a Fire Commsioner on his Helmet for the last two years.

BUT INSTEAD THEY WILL IGNORE THE ISSUES AND WONDER DUMBFOUNDEDLY WHY THEY HAVE THE PROBLEMS THEY DO IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WONT ADDRESS AND FIX THE PROBLEMS? THEN WE KEEP LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO WILL.

Anonymous said...

VIVA HOSE CO. NO. 1, INC. AND CITIZENS HOSE CO. NO. 5, INC.

Anonymous said...

I'm not a Catskill Fire fighter, and I do not care much about what they are do on there personal time. But the way they are acting know is a embarrassment to the rest of the Greene county firemen. I say we disband the department and either restart with all new members or divided it up between surrounding departments.

Anonymous said...

i would have to say that i support chewens omerod and rivenburg i think that they are doing nothing but good for the Catskill Fire Company and i think that the Truth Det. need to get there story straight on how everything went down.........o and yea u need to cut the shit if u look at th Catskill Fire Company run sheets who shows up for calls hummmmmmmmm...o yea all the former hose1 members, and u have like 3 hose 5 memebers well maybe if the select few get thier head out of there ass they would see that only a select few are coming around from the other company i mena hell there is not aa single person from hose 2 well Mr. OSHA but that does not say much. if u took a good look at this blog the only peoplel right bad suff is the discruntal members of the former companies and every one needs to relize that there is just a few things that will never go out and the great leadership that we have in the Catskill Fire Company is great...... and tey will bring out the best in the fire compny

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