Now I have been requesting councils to deal with another issue I have.
Yet again nothing changes.
The problem has not been dealt with and has been allowed to grow to the point of ethics code violations.
So once again I have to play the bad guy here.
So I guess we play.
Well in this matter we are going to have to take a journey. So fill up whatever cup your drinking from and let’s go a journey.
We begin our journey at the Cascade Locks Fire Departments web site.
Looks like a web site right?
Then we see a video and play it.
I myself think this is very good and gives a good representation of our city.
It is a great recruiting tool.
I think it is outstanding except;
Who is a “Burning Kitty Productions”?
This video says it is the production company that produced this video in the credits.
So it must be real?
But I cannot find that the name was registered in the state.
I cannot find it in the business registration with the state.
Council cannot tell me if this is a company of the city.
Council cannot tell me if our chief owns this company.
Council cannot tell me if the city paid a production company to produce this video.
As a matter of fact Council cannot tell me anything about it.
Why? Because Council only knows it is on the fire department web site and never authorized it.
Well Council here we go again it is now this Councils turn.
You better find out if this company exists, or that is false representation and false advertisement and I hope you realize the liability the City could be in because of this.
Then we have copyrighted music owned by others used in this video.
I see the artist listed in the video but I do not see the required “used by permission of” along with the music company who owns the right stated in these credits.
So did the City have permission to use this music?
If not you may have another liability problem here.
So you better find out as the Cascade Locks Fire Company is a business of the City.
But it does not end here lets follow that video.
If you click on that video while it is playing it will take you to a YouTube video channel.
The registered name for this channel is hrrescue1.
I am confused here.
Shouldn’t this be Cascade Locks Fire and Ambulance or something?
When I look for this department I would think that it would lead me to Hood River Rescue or something and I could ask for the intergovernmental agreement but this is not the case it leads me to something which this name is already a registered web name for a registered business, which places this city in violation of the law and liability should this company find out and sue us.
Adding 1 does not matter as every part of that name is owned by this company and the 1 does not change that fact. 1 is just a number behind the name.
Are your jaws dropping yet?
Let’s go back to the hrrescue1 page and click on that name and get to the videos uploaded by the owner which is our City I assume I can clearly state as a fact.
Here we see 7 videos uploaded by the owner (City) of this site.
Again beautiful videos again and some are a great boost to our fire department but we have the same problems.
Was permission to use this copyrighted music obtained and if so why isn’t it stated in the credits?
Again I see the same production company and now I see another one.
“White Helmet Films”?
Look for yourselves.
Again this company does not exist in the State records that I can find.
So I have the same questions about this company and the same concerns.
Now in this video I see a link to another web site stated at the ending credits.
Well looking at this name hrcfire I would think that means Hood River County Fire so I follow the trail and end up here.
Now I do not know what to think.
It leads me back to the Cascade Locks Fire web site and is a link off that site.
Do you see all the other County Fire Departments listed here?
So when did Council enter into an intergovernmental agreement to do this?
I hope these other agencies are aware that copyrighted music is being used here and on this video the artist/s is not even being credited.
I question if these other agencies even know about this web site?
You know it would be tragic if these other agencies were dragged into a lawsuit for this.
But the real kicker in all of this is the ethics code violations for our chief promoting his own business on the city web sites.
This could lead to a financial gain for our chief and if it does or does gain financially, it not does not matter, because it can lead to it.
So let’s go back to the city you tube channel.
A hazy film production?
Here we go again.
And just what does this have to do with our emergency services?
But keep on watching this as at the end you will see a link.
Here we go.
The chief’s personal business is advertising on the city web video site.
I give you an Oregon Ethics Code violation!!!
But that is not all watch this.
Did you see powered by Johnny’s Deli at the end of this video?
As we all know Johnny’s Deli was owned by a city employee and I am sure John Near likes the fact that our Chief just got him another as well as John Near himself an Oregon Ethics code violation for promoting a City employee’s business on a governmental web site.
Oh sure our Chief can say this is his personal web site.
To that I say B.S.
This site was created February 15 2009 with this video?
The next video is this one uploaded July 21, 2009.
So this video channel was specifically created for the City by a City employee.
That intention is crystal clear and there is no doubt.
Now after all of this I must also question.
How much time did the City pay in wages for all these videos and web sites?
It was during this time that our Chief’s overtime was breaking the bank after all.
I can clearly see that time on the clock was used to shoot all the video.
But who knows how much time on the clock worth of video lies on the editing floor?
Who also knows how much time was spent editing on the clock?
And the sad truth is we may never know because this City does not require all employees to keep a work order accounting for all time spent and all equipment used, parts used and the like documented to insure time on the clock is not being abused.
And my final questions of the day is; why are these controversial personal videos of our chief being allowed to be associated with our fire department and all these other governmental fire agencies?
And did Council Authorize any of this to occur?
In close let me say I think what our chief intended was a very good idea.
But as well intentioned as he may have been, he let it get out of hand and did not use any common sense.
Because of this, he has risked not only our city but others from what he has done.
Controversial yes his personal as well as the first video uploaded to You Tube is that.
I have never in my life nor could I imagine the F bomb or reference to Paris Hilton night vision be found in a city owned web site.
So is this Council going to deal with all of this or am I going to have to again and be the bad guy?
Cody
9 comments:
The little production names are obviously made up. His business is Absolute Safety and it is at the end of the Cali Short video, which is also promoting his personal business and drinking and driving...
These videos of course were shot on company time with company equipment, the fire engines are in all the shots.
Interesting info Cody, thank you for posting it all.
IMHO there are 2 issues here and they need to be resolved individually and in the correct order.
Issue #1) Does Cascade Locks need and can we afford, a full time paid fire chief?
Issue #2) Is Jeff Pricher the man we want for that job if we decide we need someone in that position?
Again, IMHO the first question needs to be decided by a vote of the people in a special election.
Once the election is held, then we move on to the second issue only if a majority of the voters decide to fund a full time fire chief.
If they do then the citizens have a right to know all the facts on Jeff's qualifications, activities, conduct and performance.
But if the voters turn down the fire chief position, then all issues relating to Jeff are moot.
Anonymous
That is called an Oregon Governmental Ethics Code Violation and a major one at that, as that does promote Absolute Safety the Chiefs business.
It is just too bad he had to unknowingly drag another City employee into his mess.
Gary
There is more to come.
It just takes time to go through all of this and put it so it can be understood.
I make it harder as I try to see the issues from all sides.
But truthfully I just wish councils would have dealt with some of this in executive session long ago and at least disciplined our chief in that forum.
But as a citizen whose taxes or losses in services go towards mistakes should something happen, there comes a time to say enough is enough and take the bull by the horns as a citizen if nobody else will.
And nobody is off limits on this issue and some decisions are going to have to be made before I am done here.
Cody
I say a big "AMEN" to that! If something had been done anytime over the last four years we wouldn't be in the financial shape we are in today. Let the facts speak for themselves. Hey Brostoff if you are reading this; The Tourism Committee can account for every dime in their budget and how and where it is spent. Much unlike other funds. When will you realize it is a state mandated tax that has restricted uses? As for Seeger and Morgan they abandoned ship when the going got tough. For three years Seeger and the majority of the past council has neglected city debt and look where that has gotten us. We have citizens trying to scare the community into believing that if we don't have a paid full time Fire Chief that are mutual aid agreement will be cancelled and our insurance premiums will go up. That is just a pack of lies. I spoke with Chief Trammel from West Side Fire and what he told me was that when they respond to a mutual aid call if they have more qualifications than our fire fighters they will be in control of the scene. Much the same way as if an EMT is on scene and a paramedic shows up, he is in charge. He did not say that if we did not have a full time paid Chief that we would not have mutual aid. I called our insurance company and they are only concerned with the fact that we have a fire department, the distance to the nearest hydrant and the water pressure. They did not care if our Chief was paid or volunteer. Call your insurance headquarters not your local agent and ask for yourself. If you can't verify the truth then please quit spreading misinformation.
Darlene Sullenger
I stand corrected, I said Chief Trammell and it is Fire Marshall Jim Trammell of Westside fire department.
Darlene S.
Cody,
You are a sad person if this is what all of your good deeds for the city has come to. If you really have this much time to investigate, correspond and waste peoples time (Your facts in all of your other posts are hilariously wrong; this according to the sources ie fire department members, the state fire marshal and Heather Soderberg),; maybe you should get a job instead of living off of disability. You seem to have some skills and the ability to research. Maybe a real job is in your future!?
You are quickly becoming a joke to the county, the state and most citizens of this community. I mean really, an ethics violation.... have you not read the ethics commission statutes and what they investigate. If the fire chief was profiting from videos, then they would listen, anything else will be ignored. When I look at other fire departments on "you tube" they do the same type of thing!
Maybe you should use your your "mad" skills to benefit the community instead of trying to tear it appart. Your audacity at taking away from what the volunteers appreciate just so you can justify an unwarranted attack is going too far. You really should be ashamed of yourself. If you really are about better government then you should be assisting in building bridges, not destroying them or increasing the gap.
Why are you not reporting or blogging about the illegal activity of the Mayor and one of the city councilors. Two people who were building without a building permit, building without a plumbing permit, building without an electrical permit! And, when these two individuals were confronted by a governmental official, they abused their powers and made statements that are in violation of state ethics rules. The crazy thing is that one of these people used to be a contractor and should know better. This is a fact and yet you do noting....
I am almost new to this town, and I watched the Budget Committee meeting the other night. What a piece of work you are Darlene Sullenger. I heard you were called "Darlooney" and now I can understand why. Ugly ugly ugly. Inside and out.
How did anyone like you get to serve on a city commitee?
Welcome to town, Anon.
You should fit right in with one faction with your lack of empathy, childishness and name-calling. Be sure to stop by the souvenir shop.
It is all on public record.
Yes a vioaltion!
Might serve you to learn to research.
"ORS 244.040(1) prohibits every public official from using or attempting to use the position held as a public official to obtain a financial benefit, if the opportunity for the financial benefit would not otherwise be available but for the position held by the public official. The financial benefit prohibited can be either an opportunity for gain or to avoid an expense."
Direct from the Oregon Governmental Ethics Maunal for government employees and officials.
And the rest you haven't a clue!
We can always match work records if you have the guts.
I've done my time.
Post a Comment