THE CITIZENS OF La CROSSE, WISCONSIN, must surely be having some second thoughts about their choice for mayor these days. Word recently got out that Mayor Matt Harter asked city Fire Chief Gregg Cleveland to present a plan that would convert the city’s 95-member paid department into an all-volunteer department within three years.
Apparently he unleashed this brainstorm without checking it out with others who are responsible to the city. The La Crosse Tribune reports:
“I think it’s an insane idea,” said Mike Larsen, council member for downtown La Crosse, where fire calls far outpace any other aldermanic district. “He really doesn’t know what he’s doing.
The La Crosse firefighters union chief said he and his members were “blindsided” by an idea Mayor Matt Harter floated to convert the 95-person department to an all or partial volunteer force.
“There are a lot of things that the fire department gets called on that aren’t burning buildings,” said council member Dick Swantz. “My gut tells me there’s no way a volunteer fire department can do what these trained professionals are trained to do.”
And on it goes. Following the revelation late last week, outraged firefighters and other citizens packed city hall Tuesday night for the Common Council’s regular weekly meeting. It didn’t go so well for the clueless mayor that night. It has since been pointed out to the novice that state law calls for a reduction in state financial aid to any jurisdiction that cuts spending on its police or fire budgets, other than to increase efficiencies.
La Crosse Tribune
Chief Cleveland’s responding memo to the mayor suggests losing his trained personnel would “result in the degradation of life safety services.” He added, “I do not believe that your concept has merit.”
Read the La Crosse Tribune story HERE.
This is the second time within the past week that the mayor has embarrassed himself. Late last week he held a photo op. with the on-air staff of a local radio station to endorse a charity calendar sales program and he autographed several copies while touting it. If only he’d peeked inside first, he would have noticed that the calendar pictures were naked women. Read that story HERE.
