SC - Glendale Fire District

To all community members of the Glendale Fire District (GFD):
This is to inform you of the actions of 3 Glendale Fire Department Commissioners: Mike Watkins, Rappy Williams and David Ward. 2 commissioners, Mike Royal and Glenn Hammett, resigned after the actions taken by the 3 named above.
Robert Brown, Sr. has faithfully served GFD for 58 years as a volunteer. He has been removed as Chief by the 3 commissioners named above. They refused tonight to reconsider allowing him to remain as chief through the end of 2017 even though they have been asked to do so the last 3 meetings. Every member of the GFD has signed a letter protesting this action. No good reason has been presented for this action, no complaints have been brought against Chief Brown, and the Commission has not sufficiently begun a search for a replacement Chief to take over on July 1st - meaning no one will be in charge of your fire protection service and the department's daily operations. The only reason for the removal of Chief Brown made public: the commissioners decided that they did not want to renew his contract. Again, no complaints or good reason stated for this action. Is this the way a faithful community servant of 58+ years should be treated and his career end?
The Brown family has 185 years combined service protecting this community as volunteer firemen. Robert E. Brown Grading has maintained the fire trucks of GFD at no cost to the taxpayers for years, saving the community a huge sum of tax money to your benefit.
These 3 Commissioners' actions is a huge slap-in-the-face and show of disrespect to the entire Brown family, especially CHIEF Robert Brown, Sr..
As if the above information isn't enough, these 3 Commissioners have displayed exceeding disregard for your tax-payer dollars in preparation of the 2017-2018 Budget already maxxing out their budget for the 6.5 millage increase that you the taxpayers just approved in December 2015.....meaning they'll soon be seeking additional tax increases if they are allowed to continue on this wreckless course of "governance." They have also shown gross negligence and ignorance being unable to state (from lack of their own record keeping) how much revenue they've received, expenses paid, and expected income next year EVEN as they're planning to SPEND money they're not sure they'll receive or not. They also incorrectly calculated simple budget figures such as payroll taxes.....a simple, assumed ability of those we allow in politics to set up a budget using OUR tax-money. They also have poor record keeping when it comes to their board minutes as minutes have been submitted and challenged as to their accuracy, but those challenges were disregarded by the board and approved anyways. This really only begins to scratch the surface of this board's inability to execute some of its duties, and wrecklessness of which they approach other duties.

HOW YOU CAN HELP......
If you a) reside/vote in the Glendale Fire District in Spartanburg County, SC; and b) find this as outrageous as so many do already, please take a little bit of your time and complete ALL of the following 3 actions:
1) Sign this petition which calls for the resignation of the 3 remaining GFD Fire Commissioners: Mike Watkins, Rappy Williams, and David Ward.

2) Contact your SC House Representative, Eddie Tallon, who said he doesn't get involved in local politics, even though he had these 3 appointed.
Rep. Eddie Tallon
140 Bagwell Farm Rd.
Spartanburg, SC 29302
864.529.2860

3) Contact your SC Senator, Shane Martin.
Sen. Shane Martin
P.O. Box 575
Pauline 29374
864.804.8499