Where does the buck stop or go?

To The Eagle:

Cathlamet and Wahkiakum County are dependent and appreciative of its fire department (FD) and emergency medical service (EMS) volunteers; thank you all.

These volunteers are absolutely necessary and vital for our safe and healthy community; we can’t do without you. We want our volunteers to advance both personally and professionally. Part of professional development is to learn from those in charge, the leaders and managers.

Every citizen has a vested interest, morally and financially, in the ability of our elected officials to effectively manage, and have and exercise financial responsibility. While we can argue as to what our national and state political leaders might be doing right or wrong and suggest change, we need to first put our own house, our community, in order. Use of the phrase “the buck stops here” now has significant meaning in our community.

Members of our FD and EMS are incensed about supposed mistreatment of the Fire Chief and his two senior deputies by the town’s mayor. The use of these personal assaults and innuendos against the mayor are misguided.

We as citizens of the town and county are incensed as to how the senior managers of the FD and EMS have continually abused their financial responsibilities, thus hurting the feelings and integrity of their own colleagues-our volunteers.

The Washington State Auditor’s Office has released its findings on the gross financial mismanagement of the FD and EMS departments. The felony convictions of Mr. and Mrs. Moody for long-term credit card abuse are just one public notice as to this financial malfeasance. One suggestion to begin addressing/correcting our problem is not to dismiss the Fire Chief, but have him dismiss his two senior deputies.

Dennis T. Gordon

Puget Island