By: Diane Benjamin Tonight the Downs Fire Protection Board is meeting at 7:00 pm. I have no idea what is on the agenda since it isn’t posted online. They have a Facebook page, it would be nice if they would use it for posting agendas! The people of Downs agreed to a tax for local […]
By: Diane Benjamin I finally received the rest of the information I FOIA’d from the Downs Fire Protection District late yesterday. One request was for complaints filed against any employees or Board members. I did not receive any “official complaints”, just heavily redacted memos recapping events with all names redacted. I received ZERO complaints about […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below are awards given to members of the Downs Fire Department by fellow members. They are mounted to the wall inside the station to the left. These awards should prove that nepotism accusations aren’t true and any promotions have nothing to do with Travis Misch and John Bettisch being sons of Board […]
Below will be videos of the entire meeting held April 19, 2018. Each video takes many hours to upload, there will be three posted here eventually. The camera was only on the Board the entire time. You will hear people from the crowd speaking, most identify themselves at some point. I think around 20 people […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night a special meeting of the Downs Fire Protection District was held. I attended and filmed the entire 1 1/2 hours. The meeting turned into a Public Comment session. That wasn’t a bad thing, a dialogue took place that needed to take place. I am convinced the firing of the former […]
I received a legal opinion that “consideration” can allow for a vote. Janice Bettisch should attend this meeting as a board member since her replacement’s term doesn’t start until May 1. By: Diane Benjamin Below is the agenda for tomorrow night’s meeting: No votes can […]
A meeting has been posted for April 19th at 6:00. Agenda says introducing new trustee and discuss going to a 5 member board. By: Diane Benjamin This morning the County Board voted to re-appoint Mark Casada to the Fire Protection Board. They also voted to put Jeff Clark on the Board even though no […]
Downs Fire Protection District – Christmas Party turns Sexual Harrassment – Less than one month after drafting a sexual harassment policy, according to recently released emails and other documents, the Downs Fire Protection District apparently held a Christmas Party on December 2, 2017, and sometime during said party, things turned sexual. The new policy was […]
By: Diane Benjamin I am reading over a thousand emails I started receiving late yesterday. This is one of them pertaining to the meeting last Monday: I asked John McIntyre if he said this, he hasn’t responded to my email. From another source I was assured he didn’t because John knows has no authority to […]
More interviews for open positions in the Downs Fire Department are being conducted at 6:00 tonight. The public is welcome to attend and ask questions since they were allowed last Monday night. The interviews are held at the Fire Department building. Please share!
By: Diane Benjamin I attended part of the Downs Fire Protection District meeting Monday night. I filmed one of the candidates for Fire Chief (John Day) and one for Assistant Fire Chief (Travis Misch). People in the room were allowed to ask questions after the Board questions.
By: Diane Benjamin This morning I was contacted by the guy who did not show up for an interview last night – Jeffrey Clarkson. He claims he was not told the meeting was back on. He also sent me a document detailing his opinion of what is going on. I agreed to print it. Below […]
See this story too: https://blnnews.com/2018/04/10/downs-fire-another-side-to-the-story/ By: Diane Benjamin Two of the three Trustees attended the meeting. The chairman decided not to show up – Mark Casada. Candidates for open positions were allowed to make their case and answer a few questions. At least one candidate didn’t attend, his application letter was read by one of the […]
Update: Don Knapp was the person from the States Attorney’s office I referenced below. He used to be with that office, so he should know the law. According to Samatha Walley in that office: Don has not been a part of the State’s Attorney’s Office since late November/early December of last year. He was hired […]
