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Corpus Christi, TX | KRISTV.COM |Gregory Mayor Fires Entire Volunteer Fire Department
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On Thursday, February 27th at approximately 7:00 pm, Mayor Victor Lara rid the City of Gregory of it's only source of Fire Protection. Lara walked into the Gregory Fire Department and had the Gregory Police Chief order the department to return all equipment and remove ourselves from the premises. He was not able to provide any reason as to why he was disbanding the department. We think that it is more that he had no reason, then that he didn't want to tell us.
He couldn't speak for himself, nor could he look any member of the fire department in the eyes. Whenever he was asked a question, he rolled his eyes, looked around, and refused to open his mouth. He would not give us any reason for this being done and the way it was done. He is breaking his own rules that were placed IN WRITING in the By-Laws.
The By-Laws state that "any member between the ages of 18 and 55 may apply for membership to the department". He has appointed a 57 year old man, who is not a member of the department, to become Chief. That breaks 2 rules in itself. The By-Laws and City Ordinance state "The Fire Chief is a position that is to be voted on by a 2/3 vote by the department". The Mayor appointed a man into that position. That position is not an appointed position. He also elected about 3 men to enter the department. The By-Laws also states that in order to gain membership into the department, you can apply and then be VOTED in, not APPOINTED. These are all By-Laws that he is aware, but is going against.
Apparently, the mayor doesn't think that were dedicated. But if spending all of your weekends, your summer up at the fire station making sure that all of the equipment is working, and keeping the trucks full of gas and water,while they could have been with their friends, or family.
Even having some firefighters lost their jobs, and even some of our firefighters marriages have gone really bad for them. If that isn't being dedicated to the City of Gregory, then I really don't know what is.
It is insane the Mayor for the city of Gregory and several ex-members walked into our firehouse which was Self Governed along with the PD ordered us to turn in the FD equipment and clear out and our services were no-longer needed. Canned Us all, and the ex-members are taking it back over.....WOW...a bunch of hands who didnt like SOP's Accountability, Drug and Alchol Policies, and a progressive department.
ALSO:::
Today, Friday 27,2009. The next day after the Fire Dept. of Gregory was no more, we had a 10-50 Major.
A Semi truck had crashed, and rolled over and was hauling hazardous materials, and the fire department was needed. But what do you know? Did Gregory respond? No. Instead we had to call other departments to assist the situation. Also, at the time that page went out, is the time we have anywhere from 4 to 6 firefighters at the station, so we could have rolled within two minutes, instead of that truck driving waiting a long time for help, we could have been there alot faster.
The mayor said they had a city council to discuss the fire department. Well the mayor said the citizens of Gregory didn't think that we were dedicated, and that our services were no longer needed, and he KICKED all 21 firefighters out. That night we called 3 city council members and none of them known about the situation. So the mayor didn't hold a meeting, and every single citizen that knows about this is very mad, and doesn't feel safe anymore.
I don't know what will happen now, but just praying that we get everything back to the way that it was, we were making great progress with the department, we were getting things together, until this tore us apart.
Corpus Christi, TX | KRISTV.COM |Gregory Mayor Fires Entire Volunteer Fire Department
Pop Up Video
On Thursday, February 27th at approximately 7:00 pm, Mayor Victor Lara rid the City of Gregory of it's only source of Fire Protection. Lara walked into the Gregory Fire Department and had the Gregory Police Chief order the department to return all equipment and remove ourselves from the premises. He was not able to provide any reason as to why he was disbanding the department. We think that it is more that he had no reason, then that he didn't want to tell us.
He couldn't speak for himself, nor could he look any member of the fire department in the eyes. Whenever he was asked a question, he rolled his eyes, looked around, and refused to open his mouth. He would not give us any reason for this being done and the way it was done. He is breaking his own rules that were placed IN WRITING in the By-Laws.
The By-Laws state that "any member between the ages of 18 and 55 may apply for membership to the department". He has appointed a 57 year old man, who is not a member of the department, to become Chief. That breaks 2 rules in itself. The By-Laws and City Ordinance state "The Fire Chief is a position that is to be voted on by a 2/3 vote by the department". The Mayor appointed a man into that position. That position is not an appointed position. He also elected about 3 men to enter the department. The By-Laws also states that in order to gain membership into the department, you can apply and then be VOTED in, not APPOINTED. These are all By-Laws that he is aware, but is going against.
Apparently, the mayor doesn't think that were dedicated. But if spending all of your weekends, your summer up at the fire station making sure that all of the equipment is working, and keeping the trucks full of gas and water,while they could have been with their friends, or family.
Even having some firefighters lost their jobs, and even some of our firefighters marriages have gone really bad for them. If that isn't being dedicated to the City of Gregory, then I really don't know what is.
It is insane the Mayor for the city of Gregory and several ex-members walked into our firehouse which was Self Governed along with the PD ordered us to turn in the FD equipment and clear out and our services were no-longer needed. Canned Us all, and the ex-members are taking it back over.....WOW...a bunch of hands who didnt like SOP's Accountability, Drug and Alchol Policies, and a progressive department.
ALSO:::
Today, Friday 27,2009. The next day after the Fire Dept. of Gregory was no more, we had a 10-50 Major.
A Semi truck had crashed, and rolled over and was hauling hazardous materials, and the fire department was needed. But what do you know? Did Gregory respond? No. Instead we had to call other departments to assist the situation. Also, at the time that page went out, is the time we have anywhere from 4 to 6 firefighters at the station, so we could have rolled within two minutes, instead of that truck driving waiting a long time for help, we could have been there alot faster.
The mayor said they had a city council to discuss the fire department. Well the mayor said the citizens of Gregory didn't think that we were dedicated, and that our services were no longer needed, and he KICKED all 21 firefighters out. That night we called 3 city council members and none of them known about the situation. So the mayor didn't hold a meeting, and every single citizen that knows about this is very mad, and doesn't feel safe anymore.
I don't know what will happen now, but just praying that we get everything back to the way that it was, we were making great progress with the department, we were getting things together, until this tore us apart.
