Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Posters are burning up an online discussion thread about personnel issues at the Enka-Candler Fire Department. The writers are complaining about the fire department leadership and the fact that four firemen apparently recently left the department.
Is this just small-town backbiting, or is something else going on? Anybody? Here’s a look at the fire department’s board of directors.
Here’s a sample:
It is time for all these nasty grams to stop, this is going nowhere. It is clear that their is problems steming from the Board Of Directors and we have all known for years a change is needed in the Chiefs office their is no use in disgussing it any longer. I agree each day we walk into work we are looking down a gun barrel, except the Chief is on the other end of it.I am like the rest of you I have family and friends that live in Candler and they deserve the best. It is time that Jerry Vehaun and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners are contacted to enter this situtation because it has to be resolved. The best and easiest way would be for Chief Steven Earl Elliott and the Chairman of the Board David Clontz to RESIGN effective NOW. The next step would be for other Board Members to step down Dale Wright, Tony Candler, Ward Stiles,Terry Gentry,Randy Waugh,Jerry Frady,Buzz McKenzie. Herb Roberson is the only one that stands for the best interest of the Firefighters and the Community. The community can rebuild what has been torn down, it will take a while but it can be done but the change is needed for it to happen. We need to protect the remaing firefighters we have, we can’t do with them. We need to let them know the community stands behind them because they know the Chief and Board does not.Change is needed, Change is good.Firefighters HOLD YOUR FAITH it will PREVAIL.
yes, pubcrawler. it’s like a marriage – in tight quarters, the smallest things can blow up to become quite serious problems.
That’s the board of directors… of what? The White Citizen’s Council?
Small town departments can be nasty when it comes to internal politics. I spent a decade as a volunteer in EMS and also did some part-time dispatching for PD, fire and EMS on the side. I worked a lot of graveyard shifts, gulping bad coffee and waiting for sunrise and my relief. Our EMS administration fell apart from backbiting and we were eventually absorbed into the fire department which created its own problems in that regard. This brings back memories…..