Ellen Reh-Bower sent me these LMRFD documents for posting here, thanks!
- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District Alternative Funding Committee
Seeking volunteers to research and help pursue/organize revenue sources for the LMRFD outside of tax increases. A few possible avenues so far identified:* Fund raisers, ie: car washes, rummage sales, bake sales, pancake breakfasts, etc.* Make Pierce Ferry Road a toll road* Annex properties into LMRFD that do not pay into the district but receive its services* Lobby for a County Fire District* Ensure that County requires all new construction within area served by the LMRFD be annexed into the District* Assist new businesses trying to get started in Dolan Springs and Meadview to negotiate County red tape. …
The entire document: 2017-10-4–VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 2
- The Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District (LMRFD) Needs your YES vote this November
LMRFD Tax Override Flyer
I’m NOT in the fire district, so I don’t have a dog in this. If I lived in Dolan, I’d probably be FOR this 5 years tax increase. Although I’d be mad as hell to see the board WASTE so much money, only to then go for a tax increase. And in Meadview we don’t have services anyway, why pay more so Dolan gets a new ambulance? So that we wait an hour, or two to for it to arrive in Meadview? I’d rather have an old ambulance and an EMT 15 minutes away. - Steps to Annex Meadview/LMC Properties into the Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District
Steps to Annex MeadviewTax Revenue and Personnel Cost Analysis 2017Tax Revenue and Personnel Cost Analysis 2017
Unfortunately, the analysis clearly shows that it’s a WASTE of MONEY to annex the rest of Meadview as it would NOT result in 24/7 service. I just posted about the Meadview issues at:
Open letter to LMRFD and voting on the annexation of all of Meadview.
I thought this annexation would be the FIRST thing the new fire board would do. However, after over a year of watching this fire board in stupor and due to the sorry fact that we will NOT get 24/7 service and most important, the annexation is IRREVERSIBLE, I now oppose the annexation. We need to look into forming a new organization for MEDICAL EMERGENCY in Meadview only.
All these documents will be addressed individually “soon.” Right now I have to prepare for a food workshop. If you’re healthy your needs for ambulances go down significantly!
Update 9/21/17: Ellen sent me the current Lake Mohave Ranchos / Grapevine Mesa
Fire District Administrative Rules:
2017-LMRFD Administrative Rules
It’s odd to see “Grapevine Mesa” — merged with LMRFD I think in 2010.
“Approved Effective Date: 10/19/2010 Resolution # 10-10-002”
Ellen????
Ellen, what’s with all these 2010 dates in the Administrative Rules you sent me today?
That’s the most recent version I have. They were updated when we consolidated. LMRFD went insolvent first of 2013 and there weren’t any changes during the next few years as we limped along barely functional. I retired Aug 2016. Like I said, any updates since then I don’t have access to, but the EMS requirements haven’t likely changed.
Still limping along barely functional, that’s what’s so frustrating. I did replace the volunteer flier in the post with the one you emailed. Still way behind with my online projects, sucks to not be on a fixed income.
Christine, regarding your comment on 9/21/17, “Unfortunately, the analysis clearly shows that it’s a WASTE of MONEY to annex the rest of Meadview as it would NOT result in 24/7 service.” I would argue that “anything is better than nothing”, and nothing is a very real possibility if SOMETHING isn’t done…and soon, to rectify the shortfall of income from the Meadview portion of the LMRFD. To shitcan the LMRFD because the taxpayers in Dolan are increasingly unable to subsidize coverage to Meadview is cutting off nose to spite face. At least with annexation of the 2/3 of properties not in the LMRFD, Meadview area would be paying for their ONE full time person on duty, and other avenues you have mentioned could be pursued to put a second person on. It is becoming clear that the volunteer base Meadview (like Dolan Springs) once had is no longer available. To rely on hope of volunteers while destroying the LMRFD support you have, is foolhardy. At the very least, get your volunteer system in place BEFORE kicking LMRFD to the curb!
Ellen, you wrote “To shitcan the LMRFD because the taxpayers in Dolan are increasingly unable to subsidize coverage to Meadview is cutting off nose to spite face.”
As I have been saying for a LONG time, we need call and cost reports for Dolan and Meadview.
What did I get?
Nothing.
And THAT is why I have no confidence in LMRFD. Just look at the dilapidated Dolan fire station and the sorry fact that with THOUSANDS of people living in Dolan, there’s not one person who wants to work there. The people of Dolan couldn’t care less. And why offer only $10/hr to the administrative assistant?
And why REFUSE my offers to volunteer to fix the website so people can subscribe and get meeting notices?
Why refuse my offer to solicit and process Meadview subscriptions at NO cost to LMRFD and merely keep 50% of the revenue?
I can do without ONE full time person in Meadview. The guy has no idea how to get to my and my neighbors’ houses. There’s a good chance that he’d get lost or stuck along the way.
LMRFD is FUBAR just like almost everything in this county. I may not be able to change that, buy WHY would I want to PAY for it?
THOSE are the issues on the table and NOBODY has provided satisfactory answers. Don’t know about new Mike from Meadview, but the rest of the board members have been PATHETIC. Again, so typical for this county. Just like the BOS, no vision, no charisma … nothing but incompetence.
Also, apparently you just used a new email, just so you know, the first post is held for moderation, then posts are automatically approved as long as you use the same email.
Christine, you wrote, “As I have been saying for a LONG time, we need call and cost reports for Dolan and Meadview.” Unfortunately, until they get the new reporting system functioning accurately, there is no way to get current run and cost comparisons. However, I am sending you a spreadsheet including data from 2009 to mid 2016, which ran pretty consistent during those years, and hasn’t likely changed a lot. Data shows approximately 20% of ALL runs (fire and EMS) are between 23rd street and Meadview, with 12% of the EMS runs as write offs. I couldn’t guess how many of those total calls are EMS, but just for calculation purposes, let’s say 100% are. That would indicate that 8% of total EMS paid runs are between 23rd St. and Meadview (inclusive). I know there are a considerable number of EMS runs on tourists in the “no man’s land” between 23rd and Meadview, and, some of the total number of runs in that zone are fire calls. That reduces the 8% even further…to, say, 5% for a round figure to work with. If we then look at the line item on the 16/17 budget for “Ambulance, grants, etc.” (which, by the way, I am requesting the Ambulance income be a separate line item for future calculations) we see $329,400 projected. I don’t have 2016 actual ambulance revenue, but 2 previous years ran under $300,000. Using $300,000 as a generous figure for calculation, at 5%, Meadview area would be bringing in approximately $15,000/year. Add that to the $115,283 projected income from tax revenue, and the total is still short $35,533 to cover just ONE FF/EMT…or $66,263 short to cover one FF/Paramedic. This before even calculating the costs of operation, ie: utilities, maintenance, fuel, insurance, taxes, etc.etc…. Please double check my numbers, and let me know if you see any discrepancies or issues I have overlooked. My best efforts indicate we NEED to work together to survive with ANY fire or EMS service in our area, and that survival requires everyone’s participation.
Christine, you asked: “And why offer only $10/hr to the administrative assistant?
And why REFUSE my offers to volunteer to fix the website so people can subscribe and get meeting notices?
Why refuse my offer to solicit and process Meadview subscriptions at NO cost to LMRFD and merely keep 50% of the revenue?”
1. The $10/hr isn’t for Administrative Assistant. She is still on medical leave. The $10/hr is for a temporary part time “Receptionist”, as I understand it. The AA is to be returning soon.
2. I can only surmise that the LMRFD wouldn’t want someone hostile to the District having access to the vital function that the website provides. It is a legal requirement that the LMRFD have a website on which to post its monthly meeting notices, minutes and its financial reports. Nothing beyond that is required. LMRFD has had people in the past who have done much more with the website, but after they left, we got beat up by some of our communities finest for outdated information when we didn’t have the personnel to keep it up, so it now provides only that which is legally required.
3. Fire Subscriptions brought in less than $5000 in the year that the LMRFD did them, (and more than half that was from Whitehills), It required considerable personnel time soliciting, billing, and tracking them, and for all the effort expended did not provide a reliable ongoing source of income. The same efforts needed to be repeated annually. Annexation was deemed preferable, as it provided permanent income, and subscriptions cut that effort off at the knees. It would not be legal to let someone outside the District solicit, collect and keep 50% of the proceeds. Ambulance subscriptions were denied the LMRFD by the Arizona Department of Health Services who regulate all ambulance service in the state.
Christine in other words they don’t want anyone to volunteer who has different possibly better ideas that could make the district operate more efficiently and more profitably….
Christine, you wrote: “THOSE are the issues on the table and NOBODY has provided satisfactory answers. Don’t know about new Mike from Meadview, but the rest of the board members have been PATHETIC. Again, so typical for this county. Just like the BOS, no vision, no charisma … nothing but incompetence.”
I sincerely hope that my attempt to provide some satisfactory answers will help alleviate your frustration. As for your perception that the Board is incompetent, I’m not understanding. They have so far done the job they were elected for, and that is to hold the line on spending and keep the doors to the LMRFD open. They volunteer their time, show up for training, show up for meetings, ask pertinent questions, request information, make requests of administration as needed. I’m not seeing the incompetence.
Sorry about the email change. That was an old one I’m trying to deactivate and used inadvertently.
No problem, just wanted to explain why your comment was moderated.
You and I have very fundamental differences about expectations. I expect EXCELLENCE, I rationally analyze the problems and I work towards solutions resulting in at least acceptable service if excellent service is not feasible.
You think it’s ok for the board members to show up and vote yes on budgets and whatever.
My expectations are for the board to provide detailed analysis of costs and revenue and to WORK on a plan to AT LEAST provide “average” services.
I’ve seen absolutely NOTHING that impressed me. MEDIOCRENESS is the “highest” standard for Mohave County. And I will have nothing to do with more mediocreness, especially when it means THOUSANDS of dollars in taxes for nothing worth paying for.
Speaking of paying, the board SHOULD of course get paid and a “useful” board member would have made a case for the need to get paid. How many hours are they SUPPOSED to work for free?
And that is the icing on the cake”
“… so it now provides only that which is legally required.”
And you want people to join an outfit with that much contempt for the people who PAY for it?
Being a perfectionist myself, I don’t agree that your and my differences about expectations are so fundamental. I think maybe age and reality have ground the edges of mine down a bit. That said, I also have seen how the fire district works from the inside and that gives me a greater understanding and compassion for what everyone there goes through. I don’t see evil people trying to pull the wool over their constituents’ eyes. I see good people doing their best with a shrinking income and rising costs.
You attend most meetings, and you know by now, the LMRFD has a paid accounting service who provides the financial statements along with the “detailed analysis of costs and revenue” at every monthly meeting and it is available to anyone who wants it. It is not the Board’s responsibility to do that, but they do, as their duty requires, question any apparent discrepancies, ask for clarification, and request changes as necessary.
It is the Chief’s responsibility to “provide the service”, by hiring and scheduling appropriate personnel. He does that, as best he can, with limited wages to offer and lack of people who want to work out here. It certainly is not “contempt for the people who pay for it” that limits the LMRFD’s ability to do more than is legally required of it. It is a lack of $$ and personnel.
Ellen, I really want to get the forum updated (some technical / functionality stuff), hopefully right after the Consumer Reports food workshop on Thursday. You bring up many interesting points and they need to be discussed individually.
” I don’t see evil people trying to pull the wool over their constituents’ eyes. I see good people doing their best with a shrinking income and rising costs.”
I’m not saying they’re evil, just incompetent, or too busy, or whatever …. I don’t know.
All I DO know is that if Steve Berg et al hadn’t bankrupted the Meadview fire district we’d quite likely still have the GREAT service we had less than 10 years ago. Money was NOT an issue and we had a boatload of volunteers.
I’m sure that YOUR experience at LMRFD was very different. We can’t go back in time and Meadview got royally screwed by the cliques who run the town. It is what it is. But I’d rather have nothing and not pay for it that having something that IN REALITY is nothing and PAY for it the rest of my life. Not to mention that the money should be used wisely for maximum benefit to the community.
I think Meadview residents need to decide what THEY want. I’ve been watching this Netflix show called “Midwives” set in the late 50s in England. It’s fascinating to see the poverty, how people lived, and to realize that there are people living in filth and poverty here right now. The only difference is that TODAY nobody gives a shit. We have no nuns making the rounds, nobody visits to make sure abandoned seniors get the medical care they need.
Incredibly, the residents doing well will not allow ANY discussion of these issues and I’ve been kicked out of the Dolan and Meadview Facebook groups, the MCA and the Meadview COM newsletter refused out ads for years.
The people with the power to kick me out are only concerned with ensuring that people think that Meadview is the greatest place to live, often because they own real estate here.
Maybe we can attract some nurses and EMTs to live in Meadview and help the people who need it most. It’ll take MONEY and I’m thinking that instead of giving it to LMRFD, where NOTHING will be done unless it’s LEGALLY REQUIRED, maybe it should be given to a convent (are there still nuns willing to actually WORK?) or some new organization focused on HEALTH and SAFETY issues in Meadview.
To me it is ABSURD that LMRFD refuses to communicate with the people who pay for it and it is especially stupid to refuse to communicate with residents you want to annex. Dumb and Dumber on this board. I have had to spend literally many hundreds of dollars to attend and record the meetings — not to mention the TIME I’ve wasted.
LMRFD doesn’t HAVE to work with the people and we don’t HAVE to join.
Christine, I agree 100% that the residents of Meadview need to decide what THEY want. And I thank you for this venue you have provided where facts and data can be presented and discussions take place so that people can make an INFORMED decision. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and I look forward to further discourse as we present our opposing points of view in a civilized manner. I will be busy for a few days so may not be back until next week.
Ellen, that sounds great and by next week the new forum should be much more functional.
Actually looked up the midwife series and it’s not just fiction:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_the_Midwife
It’s also not only about birth, but about dying with dignity.
Something’s gone very wrong in America and it’s really hard to believe that people die like stray dogs here in the 21st century, with seniors / veterans hiding in their houses to die alone as they get sick and old. We’re NOT dogs!
When I was a little kid I had pneumonia twice and the doctor just came to our house, as he did every time we had a cold or flu and that’s as it should be. We need to start taking care of our old people.