Comments by Ed Hawkins

HMB fire board responds to union critics

Since the fire board has opened meetings with us to discuss all these issues (we hope) it would not be proper for us to post anything else on this topic while the discussions go on. So I will leave you it at that and post a quote I read on this forum last August. "Clarity, objectivity, and consistency are not strong suits in midcoast politics--and the citizens of the several communities (disenfranchised citizens in the case of Montara and Moss Beach, who are seeing a unit of local government dissolved…

HMB fire board responds to union critics

Can a three station department run itself and be cost effective? Yes. Can Pacifica do it with two? Yes. How about Brisbane? Yep. Hillsborough with two stations? Doing great. What about Burlingame with three stations? Doing fantastic. How is Millbrae doing with two stations? Fine. How about that Woodside district with three stations? Doing great. Well they must have sold out to the state to be doing so well huh? No. Then they must have cut their employees pay by 1/3 just like a state takeover would…

HMB fire board responds to union critics

OK, good questions have come up so we can move on. Thanks to those of you who came in with them. Let’s see, the earnings of Half Moon Bay Firefighters. Base pay or actual earnings? A fire captain makes about $32 per hour. His normal work week is 56 hours. Is that a lot for a highly trained supervisor with so much responsibility? We think so but opinions vary. Why the discrepency between that and these massive amounts being attributed to them? The answer is two reasons that are beyond the control…

HMB fire board responds to union critics

I suggest the department I work for is only relevant to one person whose mind is already made up and who is grasping at anything he can find to avoid an open debate of the real issues. My career ends with retirement on April 25, 2007 so the idea there are big time promotions or sweetheart deals ahead for me is just plain silly. Should I have disclosed my retirement plans as well? How about the name of my cat? But for those who like to dig out scandalous promotions consider this. Acting Half Moon…

HMB fire board responds to union critics

Here is a undisputed fact: we were not involved in Half Moon Bay until April 2006. We “rode into town” because the firefighters asked us to. The Teamsters did not have the expertise in fire department matters to continue their representation during these difficult times. We have enjoyed very successful relationships with all of our cities so the Half Moon Bay Firefighters asked us to represent them here. I repeat, we have not sued any agency for 15 years. Past litigation involving Half Moon Bay…

HMB fire board responds to union critics

Wow so many issues raised at once. I hope I can resolve them. I recognize that a discussion with people whose minds are made up may not have a desired effect but since I am the spokesman for this local union I will try anyway. If, after an honest and open debate of the issues, the taxpayers in Half Moon Bay are asked and they indicate via majority rule they want to give up a local department and allow a state takeover we have absolute respect for that. That is not a decision the Grand Jury should…

HMB fire board responds to union critics

This is a great forum and I really do appreciate the thoughtful exchange. I have been in the emergency services business for 27 years and the labor relations business for 25 years. I have read the grand jury report on the district. As a fire service professional and labor leader, I do not see anything in that report that cannot be resolved if the parties agree to try. The firefighters brought us back in last April so our activity did not begin until then. As to solutions, we are attempting to discern…

HMB fire board responds to union critics

I will try, here, to address Mr. Bogner's questions. As to the problems with the fire district, I can say that there has been a lack of leadership in Half Moon Bay for some years. The fire board has only been a small part of the problem but their (and previous boards) lack of ability to recruit and retain a quality fire chief has been a major problem. A quality fire chief could have avoided many of the claims of management mistreatment in the past. No one wants to see continued lawsuits and costly…

HMB fire board responds to union critics

Since the fire baord had declared the reason they need to surrender the fire department to state control is a finanical "crisis" Local 2400 has been looking for possible solutions to the "problem". To identify the problem we have hird an accounting firm in San Francisco to conduct a full financial review of the accounts. The audit has been delayed by the refusal of the fire department to turn over public records to us. Specifically, the most recent comprehensive audited financial report (CAFR) is…