Fire Station Closurer

[Adam Seithel]

I would like to thank the residents of Harmony and Mr. Shiro for
contacting me and giving me the opportunity to voice the firefighter’s
Union position during these discussions. I am truly concerned at the
comments and email's from county staff threatening our Osceola County
residents with laying off fireman and closing fire stations. This
information has been clearly one sided and nonfactual as to the
firefighters Union not caring for our budget concerns or the safety of
our residents.

First, the budget for all fire stations has been FULLY budgeted for
this year, funding ALL fire stations and fireman. However, the
commissions elected to take tax money from this year put it into a
fund in the amount of approximately $670,000 and apply it to next
year's taxes to offset any increases for next year. The County wishes
to make up the $670,000 this year from the firefighters by taking
furloughs. If we do not, even though the budget was FULLY funded, the
County is fully prepared to shut a fire station down. Remember, you
and me, the tax payer, were taxed this year to keep ALL the stations
open and fireman employed.

Regarding the reluctance of the firefighters union to not take
furloughs is incorrect. The firefighters have offered to take the same
amount of furlough hours (80) as every other county employee. In
trade, we would offer up other areas of the contract to make up the
$670,000 the county is looking for. However, we were told NO. We
offered up:

2010 Union current ideas for concessions

Freeze open positions in bargaining unit savings 670,000
• The County claims this will increase our overtime budget
and cost more money in the future. If this is the case and this is a
cost saving measure why has the county left these positions unfilled
since 2009? We are trying to save every dollar we can, right?

Freeze merit increases savings 650,000
• The County claims this was a negotiating tool, when in fact
this is in the current contract and the county elected not to fund,
which is illegal. So we offered these up as on option because we do
understand the times we face. The county has ignored this and it
proposes a financial obligation that was not funded. As a matter of
fact, when we told the County we wanted to give up these merit
increases in our contract we were told NO!

Freeze our Annual Physicals savings 230,000
• The County claims this will increase our workman’s comp
claims. We are the only county employees who get mandatory annual
physicals beside the sheriff’s office, who is not participating in the
furlough cost savings program. If this will save our county money in
claims it should be mandatory all county employees receive one
annually to save our county money. But the County is prepared to close
a Fire Station and lay off fireman vs. suspending physicals for
fireman for 1 year as an alternative to your safety.

Freeze our Mandatory Monthly BC’s Meetings est. savings 5000-10,000
• County declined the savings

½ of Uniform Allowance estimated savings 100,000
• County declined the savings

Freeze Uniform Maintenance Allowance savings 100,000
• County declined the savings

So who really is creating the problem? The County has offered one
solution, we have offered multiple; with most giving up more than the
county originally had asked for.

The county is using the issue of furloughs to open our contract and
gut more than what is necessary to cover the $670,000 and does not
want to hear any other logical and cost saving alternatives. We are
fully aware of the budgetary issues facing the county however the
Union will not allow unfair tactics and proposals to gut the contract
that Commissioner Hawkins he himself signed 9 months ago. The
discussions begun because the Union requested back in June to meet
with staff and hear ideas and we have had 4 meetings, all in which the
County had no solutions and even told us furloughs would not work for
us. They have had only one proposal, in which we counter with 6, and
they walk away from the table with a resounding "NO." Now, the
residents of Harmony are being told a fire station is being closed
because of the reluctance of the Union, however this is just not true.
Shortly after this the Harmony residents are told there fire station
is possible closing. Inasmuch, closing a fire station has never been
discussed with the Union, nor discussed at any budget hearing when
they were voting on taxes.

After I learned about a fire station possibly being closed based
solely on the issues of furloughs, I called Commissioner Hawkins and
asked if he would consider our ideas as a point to move forward and
updated him on the facts from both sides of the discussions. We are
continuing to work towards an agreement.
Please take the time to review this information and request that the
County and staff work in a fair manor and consider our cost saving
measures. If they do not like our proposals we are willing to sit and
listen to all of their ideas, which as of now has only been one. If
you have any further questions please respond or contact me
directly.

Thank you for your time.

Adam Seithel
President
Osceola County Professional Firefighters
Local #3284
pres...@iafflocal3284.org

[Geo]

Thank you very much for this information Mr. Seithel. May I call you Adam?
Please call me George.

This certainly gives Harmony residents an alternative point of view and
something else to think about. I am sure that I will have questions. Fred
Hawkins or some of my neighbors may have questions also. But let's take a
break for the holiday and perhaps we can continue this over the weekend or
the beginning of next week.

Thank you again for your participation and have a Happy Thanksgiving!