Monday, December 05, 2005

GreeneLand's Grifter Guilty

In Federal court today in Albany, GreeneLand's, Martha Ivery entered a plea of Guilty to multiple acts of fraud. To illuminate what it's all about, we reprint the June 17 issue of Seeing Greene. Except that when we posted, we got "There are Errors" in red from blog HQ. So we edited some of the profanity. Could that be the problem?
INDICTMENT. She “willfully and knowingly devised, and intended to devise, a scheme and artifice to defraud prospective authors and to obtain their money and property by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.” In pursuance of that scheme, as United States Attorney Glenn T. Suddaby’s construes her Federal indictment, she

*pretended to be at least two GreeneLanders, a book publisher and a literary agent.

*“demanded and accepted a variety of fee payments prior to publication of a given book, including initial payments to publish, separate fees for representation by a literary agent, separate fees for editing, separate fees for illustrations, separate fees for a Special Markets Program, and separate fees for a prospective author to purchase copies of her own book prior to publication.”

*“offered a variety of excuses for non-publication years following the initial payment, including, problems with illustrations, problems with printers, lost manuscripts, computer viruses, failed computer disks, and production backlogs…”

*”made false representations regarding book signings, international book fairs and expos, complimentary cruise vacations and travel, as well as appearances on television talk shows.”

*filed for bankruptcy so as “to insulate herself…from the demands of dissatisfied prospective authors,” and then “reconstituted” her publishing operation under a new name and “continued to solicit payments from the same prospective authors under the auspices of the new entity.”

The alleged perpetrator of that alleged scheme is Catskill’s Martha Ivery, 56 (a.k.a Kelly McDonnell and other personae). Following a lengthy FBI investigation led by Special Agent William Chase, Martha was indicted (6/1) by a Federal grand jury on charges of mail fraud (15 counts), credit card crime, and lying in bankruptcy court. Arraigned in Albany (6/3), Martha entered a plea of Not Guilty and currently is free on a personal recognizance bond. Evidence is still being marshaled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Thomas Capezza) and by Victim Witness Co-Ordinator Rachel Feeber in Albany ([518] 431-0247).

SCAM CENTRAL, according to the prosecutors and complainants, was 291 Main Street in Catskill, across from the post office (and above the law offices of landlord Ed Cloke, the former District Attorney). There, for around five years until 2003, Martha operated Press-TIGE Publishing Company (later New Millenium); alter ego O’Donnell, the literary agent, made do with a post office box in Leeds.

THE SCALE. The charges against Martha stem from a sub-set of complaints that were voiced in recent years. Many of those complaints were relayed to the FBI after being voiced to Writer Beware, an organ of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (www.sfwa.com). “As usual with indictments of this sort,” says Victoria Strauss (writerbeware.com) “only a fraction of Ivery's fraud is included: just sixteen of her nearly 300 victims, $55,000 of her "take" of more than half a million dollars, and one of nine documentable instances of false sworn testimony before the bankruptcy trustee.” (The latter instance consists of claiming that “Claude Roussan” was a real person—a publisher--rather than a Marthian invention). Martha allegedly ran

a soup-to-nuts operation: writers came in through one of the agencies (which charged "marketing" fees and pressured clients to accept paid editing services) and were then passed on to one of the publishing companies (which charged several thousand dollars). The connection between the agencies and the publishers wasn't revealed; to further the deception, clients were encouraged to believe that the Kelly O'Donnell who ran the agencies and the Martha Ivery who ran the publishers were two different people. Writers who paid fees to Ivery--whether for agenting, book doctoring, or publishing--frequently didn't receive the promised services. Manuscripts submitted for agenting were never sent to publishers, or were placed with vanity publishers…which paid kickbacks to agents…. Promised editing was never completed or was poorly done. Books contracted for publication were never produced, or if produced, weren't marketed. In addition to whatever fees had been agreed upon, Ivery bombarded authors with demands for even more money for nonexistent services: publicity, warehousing, even a Press-Tige cruise (not surprisingly, the cruise was canceled and authors never got refunds). Ivery was notable for her attempts to intimidate dissatisfied clients and people who attempted to expose her activities. Authors were told that she would "blacklist" them so that publishers wouldn't look at their manuscripts. Writer Beware staff received death threats. She was also adept at fabricating outlandish excuses to explain her habitual nonperformance. For instance, in the aftermath of 9/11 she variously claimed to have been "seriously burned" in the disaster, or to be in mourning for relatives who'd been killed. She had numerous heart attacks. She frequently got cancer. As both Martha and Kelly, she died several times. Of course, with so much to remember, once in a while she got her lies mixed up. One pesky author, shocked to learn of Martha's sudden and tragic death, was later somewhat taken aback to receive a call from her. As a result of numerous author complaints (and lobbying by Writer Beware), a criminal investigation into Ivery's activities was launched by the FBI in 2001. Writer Beware assisted the case agent…. Under pressure from the investigation and dogged by increasing public knowledge of her scammery, Ivery decided to fold the business. On June 19, 2002, Press-Tige Publishing filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York…. At her first bankruptcy hearing… Ivery testified under oath that all the authors listed on Schedule F of her bankruptcy petition had canceled their contracts with Press-Tige. This was a lie.... Ivery didn't provide any of the documentation that she was directed in writing to bring to the hearing. Ordered to present it at the second hearing, on August 20, 2002, she again failed to bring the material, and again perjured herself on a number of issues. She also admitted that much of the testimony she'd offered at the previous hearing was perjury....

KELLY AT WORK. Among self-described victims of Martha was a woman who grieved through the web site called ripoffreport.com, which also is badbusinessbureau.com run by Ed Magedson. This author tells of signing a $3000 contract with “Kelly O’Donnell” in 1995, going through dodges galore, eventually rejoicing to see actual publication (with “shabby editing”) in January 1998. But no distribution. A listing on Amazon came and went in one week. And “I know she has many other victims,” says this dejected customer, because Martha (qua Kelly) “had the nerve early to have them call me for a reference.”

BOLD MARTHA? Another aggrieved writer, alerted by that message on ripoffreport.com, credited Martha with being “crafty, brazen, and audacious.” In the words of Mike, of Woodstock KA, Martha

strings people along as long as she can and milks them for as much money as possible. To her credit, her best selling book was about Bill Clinton and his plan for a better America, a book of blank pages (which closely commensurates with the promises she keeps with contracted authors). Her attempts to placate are amateurish and childlike at best. When no longer able to appease, she releases clients from their contracts (most of them) but they never see their money, because ‘the artists quit’ or other ‘problems’ beyond her control.

MORE KELLY. An additional, major channel which would-be authors used to air complaints was (and is) the Whispers and Warnings forum run by Angela Hoy as part of an ezine for free-lancers (http://writersweekly.com). Correspondent John Shriver, for example, responded to an earlier alert in these terms (5/2002): If this Kelly O’Donnell is the same one who misrepresented herself several years ago to me, she supposedly had a literary agency at Round Top, NY. After only one query letter she was telling me how great my book was (send me $2500) and that she wanted to see the entire manuscript (send me another $1000 for copying) and had several publishers in mind (send me $500 for postage). It did need some serious editing (send me $2000) but that could be taken care of in-house….The supposed contract offered to publish my book for a sum of $3990. Turned out it was a subsidy publisher in deep trouble with the [Utah] Attorney General plus 49 other states. When I requested the return of my manuscript, Ms. O'Donnell wanted $100 for postage and handling….

DITTO. “I entered into a publication contract with Press-Tige in August, 1999,” recalls Charley Scholl in a message aired on Writers Weekly.

Contract stated that my book, Dustin's Debut, was to be published in 6-9 months, with a 3 month clause for unforeseen circumstances. I was sent one copy of an unsigned, undated, contract. It was to be signed, dated, and returned within a specified time period with a cashier's check for $3950.00, the author's share of publication costs. I fulfilled my end of the contract, however, it took several e-mails from me from August through October before I actually received a copy of the completely signed and dated by both parties contract. I finally received that after sending an e-mail telling Press-Tige that I had, in fact, made a copy of the signed contract before sending it. Believe it or not, Press-Tige sent me the original contract and asked me to make a copy of it and send it back, she claimed her copy machine was down. Press-Tige asked for an initial disk copy, cover blurb, author photo, and other promo stuff in October, which I promptly sent. Nothing happened after that…

REJOINDER. Countering such moaning was another message received early in 2002 by Writers Weekly. It came from Jack Powell and voiced warm praise for Martha Ivery. After posting it, however, editor Angela Hoy noticed that the testimonial had come from Martha’s own word processor. She deleted the message, posting an explanation. Martha reacted with a touch of asperity:

For your information, Mother F----, Jack Powell was staying at my home as he visited Howard Stern in NYC last week. Assh---. You're not to [sic.] smart when it comes to anything, are you? especially people in general. Why don't you go back to the country you came from? No one in this country likes Japs and that is what you are, a stinkin, f------ Jap. Ms. Hoy. what kind of a name is that? if I had a name like yours, I'd shave my ass and walk backwards.

Martha followed that message with another in the same vein:

Ms. Hoy, or whatever the helx you call yourself. I hate Japs, let it be known to the world. Your grandfather probably was the one that bombed the American sailors as they were on their ships. That's why I can't stand you. You come to this country and think you can get everything for free, you are a terrorist. Scumbag. Put that in your mouth and suck on it. Assh..

(Angela Hoy is, as it happens, a WASP).

FICTIVE MARTHA. Before disclaiming interest in works of fiction (in favor of “How-to, New Age, Self-Help, Spirituality, Witchcraft/Wicca”), Martha ostensibly put out (“available in 1998”) Lilac and Lace, whose protagonist, according to the publisher’s clumsy blurb, is stirred with “inner feelings of love lost buried in her hurt spirit. Could she resist the temptation which aroused within her?” The story, prospective readers were assured, is told “with grace, authority and compassion” By whom? No author was identified.

MARTHA ON MARTHA. Among titles for which Martha takes credit as author and publisher are two in a series aimed at children. The first, Pickles and Peanuts, is touted falsely in the publisher’s blurb as “non-fiction” and, sub-literately, as “an exciting adventure for one little girl, and the discovery of events that take place on a horse farm, and how to take care of your horse or pony.” The sequel, Pickles and Peanuts Meet Sandpiper the Wonder Horse, is said by publisher Martha to be “written from first hand experience who are a third party to an emotional conflict.”

MENTAL MARTHA. “At one time or another, almost everybody has had a premonition come true. What if there was a way to harness this sixth sense and use it to fundamentally improve one's life?” Those promising words (1999) invite attention to a 222-page guidebook called What's Your Psychic I.Q? How to listen to your inner voice and let it guide you to a better life. The putative guide is Martha herself, who, says publisher Martha, “shows readers how to evaluate and enhance their intuitive ability through a series of creative exercises. She shows that psychic ability is a natural and beneficial component of everyone's personality--and when explored, it can open the door to knowledge that is hidden to the other five senses.” Copies are listed for sale on Amazon (new, $14; used, $34!) and on Barnes & Noble (current sales ranking: 604,706). What is more, a Portuguese translation seems to have materialized. Meantime, What’s Your Psychic I.Q.? has the distinction of being the only Ivery-authored book that is catalogued in Catskill’s public library. The listed copy, however, was checked out in January 2004 and not returned.

TALK AROUND TOWN. Since Martha has been a GreeneLand personage of long standing, Seeing Greene trolled for comments following the news of her indictment. Some excerpts: “How come it took them”—the investigators—“so long?” “We blacklisted her after getting calls and complaints….” “She took a one-year lease on a storefront for a news agency, and was in and out in a few weeks.” “What about the bigamy rumor?” “Which Ivery did she marry?” “She was a wonderful inventor of schemes that would bring untold wealth.” “What about her ‘Hollywood contracts’ and her ‘television contracts’?” “We had to stop doing business with her; she kept fiddling with the terms of her policies.” “I didn’t know we had such a clever, creative swindler in our midst. Makes me kinda proud.”

-- Posted by Dick May to SeeingGreene at 6/17/2005 08:11:00 AM

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

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

Greeneland if 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?

Does anyone have a clew 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 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! Who needed it or could afford it, not the tax payers!

What wonderous ideas have these two come up to waste tax payer monies?

Lets see:

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

sell ETA 3-21 the newest Best truck in the Catskill Fleet, 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 beconsidered a n Engine tanker at todays NY Fire 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 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!

Anonymous said...

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

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...

GET A LIFE PEOPLE...... LIVE FOR TODAY.... NOT YESTERDAY....

As far as what kind of a fire truck to buy, that should be left up to the "membership" of the Catskill Fire Department. They are the ones who are going to have to work with it and operate it, not some consultant who comes in and dont know the needs of the department.

I agree that there should be checks and ballances on purchases, but if we are all going to worry about what piece of equipment the fire department is buying, then we should watch what "Lou O'Conner" is overspending at the DPW and lets not forget all the overspending that "Roger Masse" did in his time with the Police Department.

OH, HOW WE DONT WANT TO ROCK THOSE BOATS, BUT WE CAN SIT AND BASH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT ON EVERYTHING THEY DO.

Anonymous said...

I see your point but cant disagree more with your attack on the consultant. They were professional firemen became consultants in their professions. They look at fire departments all the time. Letting the fire department membership select what they want is like letting your a kid in the candy shop. OH Boy, but like they say We really really need it!

Anonymous said...

If you use a consultant on what to purchase for the Fire Department, then the Village Board should go out and get a consultant for the Police Department and the "over spending" DPW.

If the fire fighters of Catskill arent capable of making decisions on what they need, then the police officers and DPW workers arent capable either.

JUST ANOTHER WASTE OF MONEY ON CONSULTANTS!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Gud commints, I egree, our prefessinal experence will shorly help us make the bess decissions on what we need. esspecally when we no what we need fer the fire districk. fuk the cunsltants and there edumications. luk how many yeers we kept the tax payers monies and we got our truks fer free too. i dont hav no edumication and we aint dun to bad!

Anonymous said...

Chief "O my god" is a joke the whole county thinks he is mutual aid happy nut.The trophy goes to Hudson for most men in line at the smoking light ballast call.The idiots layed a 5 inch hose and never even had an attack line off a truck.Never even brought a line in the building with them.For the sake of cfc please quit.

Anonymous said...

Maybe we should do to (o my god ) what we did to is buddy barrel and get rid of him.Will somebody please run for chief.

Anonymous said...

good comment ed!

Anonymous said...

note to all, never click on any thing in green on this page. people are trying to track you.

Anonymous said...

Irishman & A Potato
An Irishman was in the South of France and could not understand why Pierre had attracted so many girls on the beach and he had attracted no one. So he asked Pierre, "How do you manage to attract all the girls and I attract no one?"

Pierre said, "Take a potato and tuck it in your swimming costume, it drives the women wild."

So the Irishman stuffed a potato in his costume and paraded up and down the beach. After a great many hours, however, he still failed to arouse a woman.

So the Irishman went to see Pierre again and said, "I've tried it Pierre, it doesn't work!"

Pierre took one look at the Irishman and said, "You might try putting the potato in the front of your bathing suit!"

Anonymous said...

Mr and Mrs Potato Head
(This is a true story, of course : )

You know that all potatoes have eyes. Well, Mr. and Mrs. Potato had eyes for each other and they finally got married and had a little one -- a real SWEET POTATO whom they called "YAM,"

They wanted the best for little Yam, telling her all about the facts of life. They warned her about going out and getting half baked because she could get Mashed, get a bad name like Hot Potato, and then end up with a bunch of Tater Tots. She said not to worry--no Mr. McSpud would get her in the sack and make a Rotten Potato out of her! But she wouldn't stay home and become a Couch Potato either. She would get plenty of food and exercise so as not to be skinny like her Shoestring cousins.

Mr. and Mrs. Potato even told her about going off to Europe and to watch out for the Hard Boiled guys from Ireland and even the greasy guys from France called the French Fries. They also said she should watch out for the Indians when going out west because she could get Scalloped.

She told them she would stay on the straight and narrow and wouldn't associate with those high class Blue Belles or the ones from the other side of the tracks who advertise their trade on all the trucks you see around town that say Frito Lay.

Mr. & Mrs. Potato wanted the best for Yam, so they sent her to "Idaho P.U." - that's Potato University, where the Big Potatoes come from. When she graduated, she was really in the Chips.

But one day she came home and said she was going to marry Tom Brokaw. Mr. and Mrs. Potato were very upset and said she couldn't marry him because he's just ...

a COMMON TATER!!!!!

Anonymous said...

If beef's the king of meat, potato's the queen of the garden world.
Irish Saying

Anonymous said...

Food for Thought

What do you call a tyrannical potato ruler?

A dictater.

What do you call an introspective potato that is made up of many smaller potatoes?

A meta-tater.

What do you call a potato that copies you?

An imitater.

What do you call a potato that's a very close friend but is also threatening?

An intimate-tater.

What do you call a German potato that kills people?

A taeter.

Anonymous said...

If some of the east siders would show to training they could get qauilified to drive the to shiny red trucks over there.

Anonymous said...

I always wanted to ride on a used tampon

Anonymous said...

Hate to disappoint all of you truth detectives, but it wasn't me.
Sorry to burst your bubbles, but I'm not the big bad evil blogger your looking for. You should all know by now that any time I have a problem
I speak my mind and do not need to hide behind a blog. I also don't need to ask permission before I speak or decide to run for office. Some people say that I run my mouth too much but I've been taught to speak my mind, especially when standing up for what I believe is right. I certainly am not going to cower down or kiss some ones ass. Especially if they have't earned it. At least everyone always knows my opinion on a subject. And yes I do change my mind if someone can show me a better way. Traits I learned from my father and which we both are criticized for.

No one can accuse me of being afraid to go against what's popular. Its more important to fight for what you believe in than simply going with the flow.
That's what you get with me, I speak for what ever I think is right. I don't have to suck any ones ass!
I'm me and I don't plan on changing. I stand behind what I say and am not afraid to speak my mind. I have yet to write a blog
but now is as good as any time to start. Considering all the trash talk that goes on around here I'm surprised its taken so long to throw us in. You all mock my father and Mr. Seeley but you sure kept your lids shut at the company meeting. Was that to convince Mr Seeley that everything is great at the CFC, or were you trying to keep something from him? Well, considering I've had my gear doused in diesel fuel, have officers who refuse to speak to me, have had hose lines shut down on me while inside of burning structures, had the feign hearted refuse to follow me into a burning building, or one of those who can only write a blog. I guess after all this that I can take a little jab here or there without crying. I recognize the absolute need for some to utilize a blog as it may be the only way they have the courage to speak out. Considering the demonstrated willingness of our current leaders to address anything unless forced to, its kind of comical in a sick way, but oh so sad.

So I might as well tell you how I feel about all of this. Lets see
where
should I begin. Sad to say it, but a lot of what is on this blog site is actually true, it doesn't mean I agree with it or like it being publicized. Its obvious that the blog site has generated more action than the CFC board has accomplished since its start up. It would have never reached this point but enough people had simply stood up and said enough is enough. In fact many of you have never said anything openly,. You simply bitch up a storm behind close doors. But lets face it, you haven't ever stood up so the crap continued to escalate. As I stated at the January meeting what harm has been done if we are simply being forced to do what we should have done in the first place. The CFC will only get better. Its the crap behind the scenes being orchestrated by a few who still think that Hose 1 is the only fire company in the world. Why shouldn't we have to follow the same rules as any one else?. This simpleton mentality has created all these problems. You claim that my family and I are nothing but die hard Hose 5 members to try and discredit us, but we fight on for the CFC. Even when our own officers and some of our Chiefs despise us. Volunteering for the community in a professional manner is more important than bowing down to your childish attacks.

Yes I I ran for a
lieutenants position this year against 1st LT. John Darling. I lost 23 to 14
in a fair election. I had previously spoken to 2ND Lt John Dees numerous times about running and wanted him to move up and run for the 1st Lt. position. We were both tired of the 1st Lt and Capt never showing up to calls and John was always complaining about doing all the work. I'm for anything that betters the CFC. John told me that all the line officers made a pack together that no one would run against anyone else and he was afraid of breaking it. John said he wouldn't run against Darling so I said fine and I put my name on the ballot for first LT. I didn't conspire or lead a campaign to simply oust him and I did not jump John Dees accept out of respect to the fact that he didn't want to run for a higher position. Its no different than 1st Asst Chief Prince not wanting to run for Chief. He had 25 years of service and experience as a Chief, Capt and Lt. yet he allowed an individual with with less than half the years experience to take over as Chief. Randy also jumped from a bogus district position to 2ND Asst Chief to Chief with out following the lines of progression. I don't remember anyone crying foul back then but Hose 1 members are always given an easier standard than everyone else.. Where was the childish mentality of the officers saying to him You should have asked permission to run? Give me a break, that's the kind of crap I was subjected to.! What else can I say. I ran against JD because I do not believe that he makes enough alarms. Primarily because of the fact that he lives in Palenville
which
is 2 fire districts away from Catskill. I feel that line officers should be leading the way from the fire house directing man power for the
first arriving trucks to be affective. How ever, I never said
that he
was a bad firefighter or line officer or anything bad about him
outside of
him not being able to make enough alarms to hold an office. If john
doesn't
like me because of that then it's his loss not mine, I've never did
anything to him. In fact he hasn't spoken three words to my entire family in some six to eight months.

To be honest I also feel that Neal Russell should
resign as captain because he doesn't have enough time to
properly
do his duties as captain. Not saying he's a bad officer but I don't
feel he
has enough time to dedicate to being captain at this time. I am also
upset
with the intimidation captain Russell tried to put on me when he got in
my
face for no reason at a recent board meeting. It took 3 to 4 people to
pull
him back when he attempted to assault me. This is not the way an
officer
should act when dealing with someone. Especially when I came forward to the Fire Company Board with a serious safety violation involving two probes who had run a stop sign and a red light with out any regard to fellow FFs or the public. I'm not referring to a controlled look all ways and proceed with caution drive through, but a I'm invincible and I can run straight through with out stopping carefree drive through. Four FF's saw this occur and three of us wrote supporting letters as requested by the board president. We reported it to the Chiefs etc. and followed every ones recommendations. Only to be attacked within the first minute by the Fire Chief followed by others.
This was an intentional vendetta led by the Chiefs and officers against the complainants. I was shocked that we were attacked for doing what was right, but this has been a consistent pattern around the fire house.

I also feel we have a
couple of members on the board of director's who are in it for the wrong reasons. I believe that
Harold is
doing a good job as president, and the same for John Dees. I am a
certainly
upset that john voted against me when he was the one always complaining that
he was
the only line officer who did anything around the firehouse. John sorry
if
you get mad at me for saying this, but you can't deny it. You said it to
me
and several others numerous different times.
Randy's not the worst chief but then again he's not the best either. I
don't even
dislike Randy as a person but I don't care for the way he treats many of us
who I feel do a lot around the firehouse. I definitely don't like the fact that
Randy sat at the bar in the firehouse and told a group of people that
he
wishes my fathers house burned down when he had a small electrical fire
in
the wall. That's a hell of a thing for the Chief of the Village of Catskill Fire Department to say. It can't
be
denied either, I was told by three different people who sat their and
heard
it. That's OK I won't hold it against you, you've hated my family for
years. I also don't respect the fact that you went to a fireman's funeral in Cairo and was bragging about when you become a paid Fire Chief your going to kick my family out of the department. Once again reliable sources from different departments informed about these conversations. Unbelievable but true, and yet we keep serving the tax payers because we understand the importance of doing our civic duty to volunteer and have no hidden agendas to form a paid fire department.

Chewens, he's not my favorite person but I don't hate him. Feel sorry that he is so infatuated with his Hose 1 and the fact that by all standards they lost the real competition. I do think
potato
head is funny, it makes me laugh. Kind of humorous in its own way.

The bar being closed down isn't that big of a deal I'm here to fight
fire's
not drink beer. Maybe the bar should only be open for special
occasions,
lets not deny the fact that we have had a lot of drinking related problems. The
3-11
issue, I think it's stupid, the truck belongs to the village and it
should
say Village of Catskill Fire Company on the side. The village has been ignoring
this
for years and enough is enough. The new rescue is a cool truck but I
feel
the company should decide the color, not the truck committee which I
agree
is made up of too many people that are related. E3-1 being posted for sale on the Web Site is being done simply because the Chief and Fire Commissioner want to punish Hose 5. You might have convinced the board that moving E3-1 was entirely to insure all apparatus gets off of the floor. But in all honesty it was to fulfill statements made by the fire commissioner and the chiefs that they would teach us a lesson by moving the truck up the hill. Go ahead and sell it, because I don't worship it. Just don't expect us to quit the fire house because of the childish games that are played. Selling it makes more sense than leaving the truck rotting away in the corner due to simple childish ignorance. You could never stop the East Side response so you attacked us the only way you could. Yes I also do support having
a
truck on the "east side". The whole reason 3-1 was moved was so we
could use
it more with more manpower on it. Funny because the truck never gets
used any more.
As far as more man power excuse, trucks a always rolling with two to three guys
even in a
ten man cab. How come the Chief never asks for the manpower status of anything from the West side? What's even funnier is that there are usually people
pulling up in the parking lot when the trucks pull out and leave them. So if your not
going to use 3-1 put it back on the east side and allow it to
respond
with 2 and three guys.
That brings out another item of interest. Its pretty sad when The Fire Chiefs, The Fire Commissioner and the Captain state at a Fire Company meeting that they are moving E 3-1 back to the East Side temporarily during the 9w construction because they are afraid that not doing so they will not get their rescue truck. BUT emphasizing that it could only be used for a confirmed structure and anyone responding to anything else would be suspended from the company. The Chief stated that it was strictly a move to pacify the tax payers until they get their rescue truck purchased.
.
Health problems, that's a touchy subject. I feel people should be
careful at
pointing fingers. There are several people with health problems and I
believe that they probably don't have medical clearance to be doing the things they
are. As far as a medical officer making the kinds of comments that he did were inappropriate and out of line. If someone has a possible condition that needs too be appropriately addressed then do your job and address it. Don't come out in a Blog and make accusations or threats and then state your the Medical officer. The high street fire was the first one I remember seeing you at in months if not longer. If you had a an issue with someone you should have addressed it then. Not a year later and in a blog as a veiled threat. You certainly never heard me tell anyone that you froze or hesitated in the door and was using the hose issue as a reason for not entering the structure fire. Hesitation can cost lives and yes I grab a nozzle when ever someone demonstrates timidness or slowness at attacking a fire.
I did speak up at the last monthly meeting with Mr
Seeley about issues that bothered me so there's nothing to hide.
Just
because I had balls to speak out in front of a lot of the people who
sat
there like scared little kids doesn't mean I turned you in to the state
agencies as some have accused. You should be more afraid of the people
who
act like your friend until you leave the room then talk shit about you. They are the ones that hate you not me. I also
feel
that people should make a certain number of alarms a year in order to
vote
or hold office or have any firematic say. Well now that I have sunk to
the
level of writing blogs you can feel free to attack, harass, intimidate,
and
slander me. These are my words like them or not. But remember one
thing,
just like when I wrote letters to the editor I will sign my name to it.
So
go ahead and do what ever you want to my truck or house, I have
insurance.
And if you think your going to run me off I have news for you, I'm here
for
life. By the way if you have any problems with me be a man and feel
free to
call me at home 943-0502.

Dissaponited with my brother firefighters behavior,

Joel Shanks