Travesty at Harleysville Community Fire Company!

Over the span just over 4 hours on Tuesday, January 6th members of Harleysville Community Fire Company were repeatedly prevented by their President from voting on a decision to sell the EMS division's equipment to VMSC of Lansdale.

(PRWEB) January 8, 2004 --Over a span of four hours and two meetings and after repeated requests the members of Harleysville Community Fire Company were again prevented from voting on a decision made by its President and members of his Executive Board to sell the EMS division's equipment. More than 40 members of the Fire Company were present for both meetings.

Many impassioned statements were made by members asking the President, Mr. Ken Keith, JR. allow the membership to exercise their right to vote on the decision. Mr. Keith responded several times to this by stating that, "the organization had voted twice on this matter and that the decision was final!" Each time Mr. Keith made this statement he was met with a chorus of No's as the membership never voted to split the organization, only to take the time to investigate whether this was a viable option. Throughout the first 2.5 hours of the meeting Mr. Keith repeatedly told members that their motions were either argumentative or out of order.

Jim Reber, a long time member of both the Fire and EMS Divisions stood for almost this entire time attempting to have his motion to vote on the decision from the previous month's meeting voted on. Even quoting directly from Robert's Rules of Order and Pennsylvania State Code failed to sway Mr. Keith or his attorney Louis Goodman from allowing the membership to exercise their rights.

One member as overheard saying that the people of Iraq had more rights under Saddam Hussein than they did as members of Harleysville Community Fire Company.

Mr. Keith announced to the membership that he had been contacted by Rich Delp of the Lower Salford Township Supervisors the previous evening and had been informed that the Supervisors had invited the leadership of VMSC to a township meeting the following week. According to Mr. Keith the township was giving VMSC the opportunity to make their case to provide service to Lower Salford and that if they made a good case the Supervisors would offer a resolution in support of this, thus severing more than 40 years of EMS service provided by Harleysville Ambulance. Mr. Keith further went on to say that any actions taken at the Fire Company meeting other than the endorsement of the intended actions of the township would have no effect on the Supervisors' decision.

One Life Member of the organization, George Louderbach described the meeting as a, "travesty."
He also wondered what would happen to the organization once this matter were resolved. He also wondered whether, "When this is all over will be able to vote and make motions or will the "Executive Committee make all of the decisions?" Former President and long time member Tony Ricciardi shook his head in disbelief at the conclusion of the meeting and could only say that this was, "unbelievable."

Mr. Keith would not give a reason as to why if the membership appeared to be overwhelmingly opposed to the decision to sell to VMSC why he would not give the membership an opportunity to vote on this matter. Even with the knowledge that the Lower Salford Township Supervisors had made it clear at their last monthly meeting that they thought that for this matter to be resolved it should be voted on by the membership Mr. Keith continued to deny any vote.

It also came to light during the meeting that no other EMS organizations were ever considered or offers solicited from during this process. Jeff Depew, an officer with the Ambulance division questioned Mr. Keith as to what factors were used to evaluate VMSC vs. other organizations? Mr. Keith said structure, money, and on-status times. Mr. Depew asked how these factors could be looked at when no other squad was ever contacted for a comparison? Furthermore after more questions from Mr. Depew it became evident that no one on the Executive Board has any EMS experience or knowledge.

Thus a decision that effects more than 13,000 residents and has financial ramifications of several hundred thousand dollars was made by a group that looked at only one proposal using only statistical data from that one organization?

After almost four hours a motion made by Mike Kalinsky another officer of the Ambulance Division was attempted to be voted on by the membership. At this point Mr. Keith simply left the room... again.
###