JOIN THE PENTWATER FIRE DEPARTMENT AND GET YOUR OWN FIRETRUCK

[XLFD]

One more ethical local fire fighter has bitten the dust down in Pentwater.  It started Tuesday on a Facebook page of The Pentwater Daily News Herald Journal Tribune Beacon

 

JOIN THE PENTWATER FIRE DEPARTMENT AND GET YOUR OWN FIRETRUCK
has your vehicle broken down and high gas prices driving you nuts, no problem become a Pentwater Fire Department and they'll give you a truck to drive and provide gas.
offer only valid if your father is the township superviser.

 

A few replies followed among these:

 Joe Pentwater according to my facebook sources this has been going on for month's, as well as a few other things that are a bit wierd. My sources say that we shouldn't worry because there is always a Pentwater DPW truck parked at the station during working hours and have spotted the DPW worker sitting there for hours on a laptop instead of working. Why fix potholes when you can get paid to watch porn or check facebook using the library wifi. It's only tax payers dollars being wasted and they do that alot around this village.

 

 Another firefighter who was released earlier for passing out candy during a parade, Deb Millard (her story found in the archives of that facebook page) informed us on Thursday January 6th (followed by a reply from the 'paper' and the firee):

Deb Millard Well now what do we have here. Because this paper {the facebook page} found an opinion and wrote it's own details about a firefighter using a dept vehicle my husband, Bear Millard, was suspended from the Pentwater Fire Dept. today by none other than Terry Cluchey. He refused to answer any questions and stated that "You can discuss this..." at the big meeting we will have in "a few weeks". The suspension is indefinite, read "terminated". When asked where he got the information that led to the suspension, Terry replied "It was handed to me". When asked who it was he replied "I can't tell you that. Suspicious yes, underhanded yes, shady yes, rediculous well I can't even begin to describe.   

The paper caught on and did it's own digging and watching, it isn't difficult to see when the truck and driver are all over town every day and the truck sits at the FF's house. When your officers are doing the wrong thing and get caught do...ing it, shouldn't the person in the wrong be the one punished? Shouldn't the chief be fixing the problem so he doesn't have to worry about "stories" being broadcast all over the internet about the corruption and mismanagement of the department you head? Realization eludes these people. Interesting how this department can be called to a fire and be deemed ineffectual...every time. Obviously the safety of the residents of this village and township are of no concern to them. Valuable and trained firefighters are so easy to come by around here, especially when the 2 in power make it so easy to like them and are such competant leaders, wouldn't you say? The road to rediculous is paved with the leadership and assinine behavior of these two "men". When this statement is "delivered" to you, make no mistake, this was written with full knowledge that you watch our every move, you are a poor leader, we are the most interesting and worthwile projects you've ever had, and that is about all of the repect you will ever deserve. Trade in your fire helmet, you are ineffectual and sad.

 

The Pentwater Daily News Herald Journal Tribune Beacon Well it looks like we have another story. Our hopes are that you do not believe this is our fault and we would love to work with the two of you to spread this whole preposterous witch hunt to the four corners. We have readers in Australia. With 10,000 readers a day this is sure to blow up in someones face.

 

Bear Millard

hey guys that's the way the cookie crumbles. I saw something that I felt was wrong and called it. It has been a pleasure serving this community and I'll keep you all posted. Did any of this fix the problem? No. Hey if it looks this bad to m...e and I am on the Dept think how bad it looks to John Q taxpayer or Joe Pentwater. I am hoping when I do finely get my meeting this can all be worked out and I can remain on the Dept., if not have I got some stories,videos and documents for you guys as I won't have to fear retaliation or cost me my Job. Keep up the good work and I might need a job are you still hiring? To my wife's comment above....geesh tell em how you really feel! Love ya and your candy.

 

The Pentwater Daily News Herald Journal Tribune Beacon ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST. Due to the fact that we found an opinion (thanks Deb) and ran with yet another story of Pentwater Fire Departments misappropration of funds and misuse of equipment by people on the fire department, another skilled and honest firefighter has been lost to us, the taxpayers.

 

A few hours later we have the latest update after the FD meeting:

Deb Millard

According to firefighters that were at the monthly meeting of the PFD last night. The wife of the firefighter who has been seen since Aug. using fire trucks as his own personal vehicle is the one who copied Bear Millard's entire page and then sent it to the township the asst. chief and chief, thus moving the story into the "mainstream media" and ensuring that more people got to see it than those of you who read the paper. Bear Millard was suspended for "The information going out to the mainstream media". This wife is also the daughter-in-law of the township supervisor. The same township supervisor that told Deb Millard, when she was terminated for passing out candy, that he or the township can do nothing in regards to the FD as it is a "separate entity". The same township supervisor who, we've heard through the grapevine, is being sued for telling the same line to another person. The same township supervisor who's son is the one using the truck for personal use. In effect, Mr. Millard was punished for an officers wife's emotions and poor judgement. Interesting.

-------------------------------

The corrupt continue, the virtuous fall.  Small city life.  Does anyone care though?

[Willy]

Deb

Have you consulted an attorney regarding your dismissal or contacted the local prosecuter about the embezzlement?

[XFFDM]

There have been contacts made and things are moving along.  I will not discuss it here, yet.  My children have been threatened so what I am doing is being kept under wraps until a later date.  As i am not on the dept. anymore I am effectually the departments boss, being a taxpayer, but still fear the retaliation and abuse that I suffered with for 4 years, not for me, for my kids.

[Paul Jensen]

Reply by RJE 1 day ago

"Deb

Have you consulted an attorney regarding your dismissal or contacted the local prosecuter about the embezzlement?"

 

you must not know much about Terry Shaw, or his only assistant who refers to himself as "Chief asst Prosecutor"

[RJE]

"Deb

Have you consulted an attorney regarding your dismissal or contacted the local prosecuter about the embezzlement?"

 

you must not know much about Terry Shaw, or his only assistant who refers to himself as "Chief asst Prosecutor"

[Willy]

Lando

I figured the name was a spoof because of it's length. If this facebook page owner is not careful, he/she could be open for a lawsuit by making libelous accusations on the internet. 

Aquaman

Some munincipalities want employees to take vehicles home so they can be on call, while other orginizations   want vehicles taken home because of insurance issues. It seems that a vehicle  has cheaper insurance if it's stored over night at a residence instead of an open parking lot where it could be vandalized or stolen. At least that's what I have been told.

[XLFD]

The name is a spoof, but the contents inside the FB page are keyed into the Pentwater area and from what I hear, describe actual events, albeit usually in a satirical manner. 

The page tells a mostly one-sided account of a series of events wherein two capable FF on the Pentwater Fire Department have been suspended/fired for specious causes.  Back when the Pentwater Homecoming parade happened in early September, FF Deb Millard rode on the back of a fire truck and threw candy to children along the parade route.  She was told where to sit and was given candy by the Chief and other officers on the PFD to distribute.  After this she was 'fired' for insubordination for her actions on that day, which was... distributing candy.  She admittedly had some problems with some officers on the PFD before that, but this was the proverbial straw.

Anyhow, her husband, Bear Millard, apparently revealed to the Facebook moderator what the township supervisor's son (also on the PFD) was doing with the PFD fire trucks, and the above transpired with the thread head.

It looks as if the Millard's have an excellent case for the PFD Chief, et. al., violating the Whistleblower's Protection Act in at least the latest action, if the reportage is accurate.   The Millards are, I believe, both trained EMTs and their loss is no doubt felt by the Pentwater community.  I have yet to see any reason why their story is to be disbelieved, and of course, the media and Pentwater city government have been tight-lipped. 

When you add these stories on to the earlier Pentwater sewer lawsuit, you can see that the citizens down there are likely going to be able to see a 'culture of corruption' in the Village Hall much like what we have up here at Ludington City Hall-- allegedly (giggle).

[Paul Jensen]

"It seems that a vehicle  has cheaper insurance if it's stored over night at a residence instead of an open parking lot where it could be vandalized or stolen. At least that's what I have been told."

 

seems unlikely but nice spin

[Guidothesemipsuedocaptitalistpig]

Actually Paul I had heard things such as the statement about insurance directly from insurance agents...

The part I would be interested in knowing is, whether those types of discounts still apply when the vehicle is a business vehicle and does not spend the majority of its time at the ( residence) it is listed on the insurance to be at? Such a disclosure then would amount to fraud if so listed would it not?

And welcome to the conversation Paul.. This is at least the fist time I have seen you post. We hope you find some of the conversations at least informative and challenging.

[AQUAMAN]

Lame excuse, vehicles are stolen constantly at residences as well as parking lots, ask any cop. Depends on the vehicle in question. Anyone want to steal a municipal pick-up truck? Any place it's parked? Or maybe a Porsche/Cadillac in a driveway? Which is more desirable? And btw, isn't it a shame that taxpayers may just have to pay for that "municipal vehicle at the grocery store parking lot" when it's never going to be stolen? And the "employee doesn't have to pay insurance on a second vehicle"? Or is that just my imagination?

[Paul Jensen]

And how much could a surveillance system cost compaired to added liability
??

 

Its just more spin.

[Paul Jensen]

I am sure if anyone asked for documentation they would be receive improper questioning and harassment.

[XLFD]

My own FOIA Odyssey with Ludington City Hall would show your beliefs are not unfounded Paul.  They misrepresented my requests publicly and brought up non-sequitur aspects of my private life in the process.

I had to spend $57.23 to inspect the records of all competitive bids for the 'water tower painting' bids, when no such competitive bidding actually existed.  Ludington taxpayers will spend over $1.2 million to paint two water towers with no competitive bidding, ten years before they needed to be painted.

[XFFDM]

The insurace company for a fire department does NOT want a first response vehicle taken and left at anyones home.  They are to be left at the heated station and used for FD purposes only.  The insurace would go through the roof if they knew that this, or any, truck was being left outside, not even in the village, for up to 7 hours at a time with no guarantee that it would be used in response to an actual emergency.  This truck is stored in a heated locked garage at the fire station.  When this FF had it it was left at the bottom of a hill, not near the house and who knows if it was locked.  It is in no way safer than where it belongs, in the service of the community, ready to go, at the fire department.