The Silver Lake Village Board agreed to purchase complete sets of new tires for the Silver Lake Fire Department’s tender (tanker) truck and one engine.
But the rest of the department’s equipment will have to wait for new rubber.
Trustee Roger Johnson, chairman of the Emergency Services Committee, presented two quotes for tires at the meeting. But he was acting on advice he received to replace the rear tires on the tender and the front or steer tires on the other equipment. Then the other tires could be replaced next year.
But Roger Pattie, the last designated fire chief, said from the audience that he felt a better plan would be to replace a full set of tires on the tender and one engine, rather than some tires on all of the equipment. The lowest bid was from Petrolube for about $5,900.
“If we’re only going to do part of them, do one complete rig,” Pattie said.
Johnson said he was open to that option, but warned it might change the cost.
The tire purchase was approved 6-0. Trustee Chris Willkomm abstained due to family connects to the company getting the work.
About $4,200 of the money needed for the tires will come from two rescue squads sold last year by the village. The rest will come from the fire department budget.
just waiting with anticipation…. for the flood of cowardly no name posts degrading SLFD and the efforts of a select few …..challenge to the detractors…. help us .. don a pair of Bunkers.. Men or Women… we have some VERY qualified female FF/EMT ..that I trust my LIFE with!!!!! all the negative posts ….yet absolute no suggestions to remedy current EMS situation… OH Wait they do…. let SLFD dissolve and we can have 6241, 6242 ..in the firehouse by the end of the year…. I just wish they could have been forthright and not string us along!!! tonight showed the respect and the commitment to Rescue… by the urgency of tire replacement, staffing, training of SLFD.. to be so bold and write, and call County, and Dispatch.. and say “Fire is out of Service” getting ahold of Wheatland, and Randall.. but not It’s own SLFD officers or Blackhats…Hmmmmmmmm….
Branden….you are right on the money with your observations as to what happened at the meeting last night. The lack of support our board has for our firefighters was pretty apparent, and pretty disconcerting as well. STILL WAITING to hear about how the selection process for Fire Chief is going…….that too is a “back door” process that we citizens will have no input on. I suspect Sue and Roger will be looking for a “marionette” chief……you know, a puppet who’s strings they can pull. Of course, they will have to check with Sabrina and Carolyn first, so make sure the candidate meets the approval of SLRS, and the Karen & Colleen contingent. Government at it’s FINEST folks. DISSOLVE NOW!
Yes Branden you are right. This is a band aid fix again. Our fleet is only going to be at 50% strength for the next year. This means we have to relay on our neighing departments for man power and equipment. That cost those communities money to help us. That also means we can not respond on MASBS calls because we have no back up equipment to answer a call if we take ours out of town. The fix is to merge with a stronger department so we can make our selves stronger. To merge with the Town Of Salem Fire Department would be a good fit for us. At this point we can not guarantee a response, Salem Fire can.
Why no mention of the recording of the incident at Randall School being played at the meeting? Silver Lake Rescue was accused of calling off Wheatland and Randall’s fire departments who were responding to a fire call at the grade school. When the audio was played for all present to hear, it was Roger Pattie who called off the responding units, not the Rescue squad. Mr. Pattie went on to claim that the recording had been somehow manipulated. I agree that fire trucks that need new tires should get them. Yet after hearing the recording that proved he was attempting to put blame upon others for his own actions, what credibility does this man have? Didn’t he resign? What the heck is going on in that firehouse? Can they really think putting the town at risk brings bargaining power to them? It’s horrifying to think that anyone on the SLFD would play politics with the safety of our children.
@James Johnson…….”it’s horrifying to think that anyone on the SLFD would play politics with the safety of our children”…your words, not mine. As we enter our 4th week of having no fire trucks available to respond out of our village fire station , it’s the VILLAGE BOARD that has played politics with our children’s lives.
Roger Pattie is a man of principal and high moral fiber. I’ll take his word over ANYONE on SLRS anytime. If you are SO WORRIED about the “safety of our children”….how can you be satisfied with the nearest fire truck coming from unmanned fire stations in Randall and Wheatland? Get serious.
Sorry. It was Riverview School, not Randall. The recommendation from 2 sources was to replace certain tires on each of the vehicles to make the entire fleet operable. It was the FD that insisted they’d rather replace all the tires on half the trucks. Tires that they claim are 7-10 years overdue for replacement can hardly be blamed on a board that’s only been in office for the past couple years, especially when the issue was presented by SLFD the day that the trucks were taken out of service by the FD. The people of Silver Lake want to support their fire dept. not be held hostage by them. Can’t seem to find a single member of SLFD that isn’t in favor of dissolving the village. Instead of applying to Salem Township FD to become full time firefighters for Salem, they want to dissolve the village and get rid of their government so Salem has no choice but to absorb them. I really can’t see why Salem would want to deal with the kind of people that would do the things they have done to the our town, but we are being assured that if the village dissolves, Salem will be forced to. It is not surprising to find out Linda Valentine is behind this. It is, however, appalling that our own fire dept. would bring such shame upon our village yet blame the board, police, rescue, and the people of the town, while accepting none themselves. Never heard of such a thing. I’m certain to be attacked by Bernard (whoever that really is) Branden, and Greg, but that’s what they do… If these people tried as hard to fix what’s wrong as they try to ruin Silver Lake, we’d be in great shape.
There really should be an external investigation into what is REALLY going on with this village board. There should be NO board members with ties to either SLRS or SLFD. The safety of the citizens of Silver Lake should not be toyed with because someone on the board is also on the rescue squad and doesn’t like the fire department. It really should be illegal. If one person becomes injured or killed in a fire in this village, it will be the responsibility of those on the board. Taxes are so high, I think you can afford to fix ALL the equipment necessary for the safety of the citizens! That’s what taxes are for! Fix the equipment, or lower taxes! Also, will village residents get a pro-rated rebate check for the fire service they are currently NOT being provided? Just wondering.
James Johnson..you are spot on. The board is trying to fix the problem and working on solutions to support the fire department yet nothing is GOOD ENOUGH. “If everyone tried as hard to fix what is wrong as they try to ruin Silver Lake, we’d be in great shape”…couldn’t have said it better myself.
I bet the fire dept, is behind the libary mess too.
The thing that is appalling is that the village board and some residents don’t support the volunteer fire dept. these people have fulltime jobs and families and to be treated with the disrespect and discontent case in point James Johnson’s comment prove such a thing who’s and resident and his wife is on the rescue squad yet he says things about working together but comments probe otherwise. I would not blame the fire dept members if they all turn in their pagers and just quit. Those firefighters don’t deserve this type of disrespect.
WOW!! Does she get blame or credit?? For anyone to think that one person can wield so much power that they can be named as the one person to blame is ridiculous. This whole issue is what this country is all about. People standing up for what they believe and the majority wins out. We have elections, referendums and just plain meetings where everyone is or should or can be heard. If someone like Linda or Bruce or any number of others want to take the lead or provide a forum for groups on one side or the other, so be it.
Linda’s behind this? What a hoot! Good for you Linda, still making waves after all these years.
so let me get this right Bernie, you have a stopwatch when the fire dept. is toned out? berine have you ever heard salem tone out to trevor because the their was no one at the salem station? of course not you have blinders on! Bernie you are full of it and silver lake needs to purge the cancer from the fire department. the people of silver lake deserve better than being held hostage because some want a job. where is the working together? never in all my years dedicated to silver lake that I would think it would come to this. To the village board what are you doing? if I were president I would have solved this issue. Sue you are the president of this community solve it! you have emergency powers and put new tires on those trucks. I cannot in my wildest imagination believe tires are an issue. I also want to comment about the issue of asking for a board members resignation, just because they do not agree with you they have to resign. I loved the challenge. the people citizens voted for you! I have no ill will against Salem, the are a fine department. In closing I was on the fire department 27 years an village president for 10 and
James, you so eloquently left out the fact that Roger Pattie informed the board that the recording was not in its entirety. He insisted the board not only look at the logs at the fire department as well as to request his conversation with dispatch after the call at Riverview where was confirmed by dispatch that rescue called off the mutual aide response.When the board was asked if any of them had enough integrity to request the recordings themselves, not a single member would do so…why would that be?! Furthermore, the board appointed an emergent committee how long ago to ensure that all maintenance, standards, etc are being followed and up to date. You and many others chose to point fingers at Roger Pattie and claim that he and other members of the department are using scare tactics and trying to Erin the town of Silver Lake, it is quite the opposite. Roger was chief for how long, he advised the board of the issues pertaining to the fire department one he became chief and requested meetings with the board- to no response from the board (mainly the president). If the board refuses to support and back the department, Roger surely isn’t going to put it’s members or himself at risk (legally or physically)!! Shame on you, you want to pretend that you back the fire department yet you bash them every chance you get!! You, like the board, show your true colors.
Well said James and Ralph about the stuff happening in SL. The one thing that has been dragging SL down. is the SLPD everybody that I talk to say they avoid SL because of them. No need to have 3 squad cars and all of these full/part time officers. Bruce Francart posted in earlier post $600.000.00 for the police force that’s where SL needs to target to save some money.
Just wondering why the SLFD has to do special fund raisers to help them get special equipment or whatever they may need. and SLPD asks and they receive. Have any of you ever heard of the SLPD holding a fund raiser????
That was saying it like it is Ralph.. Silver Lake needs you back. I guess you called Bernard out, didn’t he GREG GALICH… and that CD was from time toned to the end of call. Everyone heard it.
@James Johnson: A, hear’s a clue for you, James…..the only folks holding this village “hostage” are the members of the SLRS. Are you going to seriously contend that Silver Lake Rescue Squad would roll a rig out the door on an emergency call with 16 year old tires on the squad? REALLY JAMES? You conveniently left out the quotes from tire companies that recommended ALL the tires be replaced and the rigs NOT be allowed to respond to emergencies. Partially replacing tires is foolhardy and dangerous. Roger Pattie has both the experience, working knowledge and GUTS to bring his concerns to the board and stand up for his firefighters. We have money to spray the lake for weeds, but not provide proper tires for our fire trucks. And folks like you think our village isn’t in serious trouble? As more and more folks catch on to the ineptitude of this board, a board that is “attached at the hip” to the private corporation Silver Lake Rescue Squad, the MOVE SILVER LAKE FORWARD..RESOLVE TO DISSOLVE effort just continues to grow. Folks like you and your thinking are the BEST Public Relations the Dissolve movement could ever ask for. And it’s FREE!
I suggest we bring back former Fire Chiefs Tanski and Drinkwine. They could share the duties and responsibilities, perhaps one could be Fire Chief and one could be Deputy Chief. Their working knowledge of both the fire department and the “political proces” would be invaluable. Has anyone asked them?
@Ralph Drinkwine jr. I have dispatch records sitting in front of me…no stop watch needed. You going to tell us that rigs from Wheatland and Randall are going to get to our village in a timely matter with no impact on our fire safety?
And our village firefighters cannot respond because Sue ordered their pagers turned off? Really Ralph? Where have YOU been for the last 2 years when all of these issues were being discussed. Where where you when the Ad Hoc Committee was making recommendations? You don’t think “tires are an issue”.
Really Ralph? You mean as Fire Chief you would have no problem sending your troops out the door with 16 year old tires on the rigs? You would have no problem sending your troops into a burning building with “borrowed” SCBA, from Gateway Tech, because ours was obsolete? You would have no problem as fire chief ignoring recognized safety standards as the board wants our fire chief(s) to do? Where were you , Ralph? You may hold no ill will against the Salem FD……but our board certainly does. When was the last time you attended a village board meeting? I certainly haven’t seen you there.
Bash me all you want, why don’t you try sticking up for the fire department? And if anyone is holding the village “hostage”, it certainly isn’t the fire department…..its’ the other building across the tracks Ralph. And just how many “full time firefighter jobs” do you think Salem has? Our firefighters will be light years ahead of the curve when they are absorbed into the Salem Fire & Rescue department, as paid on call/volunteer firefighters, NOT full time career firefighters. Another “scare tactic” that has been around since the Ad Hoc Committee members were accused of “plotting” to get “Fire Chief’s jobs” in Silver Lake. Well……there certainly is an opening for that position now..isn’t there…….see any of them lined up around the block at the village hall waiting for an application?
Ok Cindy, just like you stating that the truck tires were inspected and “ready to roll”. Notice since then the proposals for the tires both stated that the tires were deemed unsafe. I’ll believe the professionals over your opinions any day.
@Fire Chief Selection-Solution: Not a bad consideration, at least it’s an attempt to move towards filling the Fire Chief position. I still like the idea of having the SL Police Chief take over the duties and responsibilities…he’s a full time employee, appoint a “Deputy Fire Chief” part time to handle the fire responsibilities that the Police Chief may not have expertise in. But the Police Chief being on duty 40 hours a week in the village means he would be available to handle some of the administrative duties (eg, the tire issue,)and other issues that might regularily pop up. Give him an increase in pay, of course. And perhaps several(not all)of the police officers could respond as firefighters, some of them may already be trained. This would INCREASE their value to our village, ESPECIALLY if another entity was looking to provide law enforcement. It would upgrade the status of the SLPD, help with SOME of the SLFD problems, and I’m guessing SLPD and SLRS have a good working relationship. What’s not to like? At least to consider?
@Captain Courageous………ah…couldn’t the cops just write a few more speeding tickets to help pay for both the mosquito spray and fire truck tires? Ya gotta admit, besides Silver Lake Rescue Squad, the SLPD is the only village entity that generates money for the village. Oops, Rescue gets to KEEP theirs, NEVER MIND.
Just wondering why the SLFD is still out of service and new tires not installed yet even though it was voted to replace them. All our board members seem to like the power they think they hold when in fact they have no power as they are not capable of taking actions on the decisions that are made. Nice to see how the board members value the safety of our families in this communities and the properties of Silver Lake. Thankfully nothing bad has happened as I wouldn’t want the weight of our 2500 citizens on my shoulders if something did happen. Makes you wonder how these people can sleep at night now and how will they sleep if something goes wrong and SLFD can’t be there to help save our neighbors!