Anderson Valley Post Accounts

I've reread everything ad nauseum and it all adds up to the same answer. You're guilty of twisting truth to fit your own misguided logic. Not sure why you're so quick to defend Fitzpatrick who is under investigation and possible disbarment if convicted.

The Anderson Valley Post reports fairly. If it appears everyone you seem to worship with unquestionable adoration is being so severely wronged in your eyes, then maybe it's time for you to take off your blinders. Also, if they ask you to drink the Kool-Aide you better rethink that one.

So, let's see. Fitzpatrick is in pretty deep trouble right about now with his unethical behavior; he could possibly be fired and then be faced with disbarment. Neil Purcell is not licensed as a private investigator in California and his report is basically deemed illegal. Benito did not act on complaints about Purcell because Benito is facing some skeletons in his own closet and doesn't wish to stir up much trouble. Keith Webster is being investigated by the Fair Political Practice Committee. Norma Comnick will be investigated by the same agency for her misconduct. Butch Schaefer has proven to be an embarrassment to our community by acting in a very unprofessional manner by threatening/screaming/intimidating a citizen in front of other witnesses. This man should not be allowed to carry a gun, end of discussion.

For every rock you turn over in Anderson, snakes just begin crawling and slithering out. There should be a vote of no confidence in our City Councilors and Fire Board Members as well as the city attorney.

Chief Piccinini should never have been allowed to have to contend with their unprofessional game playing and violations of the Brown Act which began for him almost as soon as he started.

Anderson should do away with the current Fire Protection District and contract out for all their resource needs. Who needs people who really don't want to work.

The Fire Board had no choice but to have the grand jury begin an investigation, the reason being is that enough private Anderson citizens complained enough to make it happen. The Board decided to make it appear they did something proactive but it's not true. Joining the Chamber is a great idea, do you have any idea at all how much Comnick hates them? So, yes please join. Anderson business cannot or will not be supported with the lack of visionaries that run our town.

Hopkins had nothing to do with all the angry people wanting to keep our Fire Chief. Citizens decided on their own that things weren't right with Butch, Norma or Keith. Don't forget Keith is under pending investigation for his financial wrongdoings. You're hanging your hopes on a lot of has-beens.

Considering that selling a home actually requires work on the homeowner's part and we've already determined that most of the firefighters don't really want to work anyway, they won't have any need of a realty company.

The hate belongs squarely on the unholy trinity. Recall time.

southcountyZero, nice verbalizing there. How about calling a spade a spade. Is it okay for Andy Nichols to run Quality Timber Falling during his office hours at the fire department? I think that's double dipping, two incomes based from one employer, and don't forget his third income from Nichols Farms, he hauls Mandarin oranges, eggs, and pecans from his farm to Kent's Market in an Anderson fire vehicle. Howard Fincher has been complaining and biding his time about all that in order to ensure Nichols is not in his way come promotion time. These are just a few examples of what the grand jury will find in their investigation into the Anderson Fire District. I think the grand jury should investigate both the Fire Board and fire fighters for questionable practices from the ground up, including volunteers. A better solution would be for Anderson to contract out to firefighters and fire the current ones. They can all be outsourced. Nothing they do is that important anyway. They don't want to work out or become more progressive in their careers or even change or install smoke detectors. They just want to sit in the Day Room and watch reruns of Vegas.

If the people of Anderson are satisfied with that behavior I would be surprised.

Anyway, I heard there's a wild party tonight at Joe's and you're not on the guest list. Stay home, take your lithium and try to catch up on those Vegas reruns. Don't pout, it's not pretty.

Mr. Purcell's name came up because he could produce a bought and paid for report of exactly what the Fire Board wanted. There was nothing independent about his investigation.

As far as Bellinger's remarks, he's lying. There are indeed several volunteers who do not support the no confidence vote but feel they have no choice.

Chief Piccinini could not attend because he was told he could not. As for the lighter turnout of his supporters that was no accident, they were indeed meeting but not at the Fire Hall. It was generally felt this meeting tonight by the Fire Board was a dog and pony show and not necessary since it appears the Fire Board will continue to use the biased report bought and paid for as has been discussed.

What we have is a case of the firefighters wanting to do what they want, when they want, if they want and probably not at all if it involves working. I suggest we give them a vote of no confidence and bring in new firefighters who actually do want to work.

I can't believe the Fire Board is using an illegal report, how is this even sane? What is wrong with them that they don't see how this looks to their own citizens? It really does make them hell-bent on destroying the Chief at any cost. First they hire Purcell to ensure they have just the report they want, then we find out he's not even licensed, and for good measure he's probably guilty of a misdemeanor for conducting the report, possibly a felony because of using the CLETS system.

Norma, Keith, Butch, we will not go away after tonight, the war is ONLY beginning against all of you if all the wrongs are not righted. You are all on notice for the horrible things you've done and are doing.

I've heard Webster reads the blogs, well you need to be sure to take our message back to your friends in low places and do the right thing and bring our Chief back, if he even wants to come back. Politics in Anderson just plain suck.

For Anderson, I wish Veryangrymom would go public with the story. I do understand her reluctance as evidenced by the mess our city is in because of the way Comnick has run her brand of politics. I know she really does have to worry that her son will be chastised in some way, and being a mom myself you don’t want your child to go through that. But, there comes a time when enough is enough. If Fincher had treated my kid that way I would be all over him.

What a joke that Comnick offered to hand over campaign funds to run an ad against the Chief. That tells you right there that no matter what the citizens want, or how unfair it is that a BIASED investigator did the report, Comnick will vote the way SHE wants. She thinks she is untouchable and nothing matters but her own opinion. She is a dirty politician with no conscience.

What is really sad is that Keith Webster is being investigated by the Fair Political Practice Commission , and when they really begin the full-blown investigation no one from our town will support him because of the way he’s treating the Fire Chief. Webster will wish he had at least a tenth of the support that Chief has right now, people who are willing to stand up for him and make a difference. Let me say again, the Chief I’m sure is no angel, but the issues could have been dealt with by the board and discipline handed down, he doesn’t deserve dismissal if that’s what they’re really thinking.

This situation has been handled badly from the start. I’m not even sure his “wrongdoings” are the issue anymore. Neil Purcell as the investigator is one issue. Since he’s not licensed I think the investigation needs to be thrown out and criminal charges filed against Purcell. He knew what he was doing was wrong. The three fire board members or the “unholy trinity” are all dirty in their own rights. Butch shouldn’t be allowed to carry a gun since his temper is so bad. I still can’t get over the way he threatened a citizen in front of everyone the other night. Why didn’t Dale Webb do something when he saw what was going on, since he was there? Of wait, I know…..he’s a friend of Butch’s and wasn’t going to protect any citizen from Schaefer since Schaefer is also his boss. I’m sure Webb will say he was busy in the back of the room or something like that and didn’t see anything. How convenient.

The fire board needs to be investigated for hiring Purcell. If you would ask someone to describe justice, I bet the Anderson fire board isn’t what anyone would think of first, second or third. Enough dirty politics, put the Chief back at the Fire Department and quit jerking your citizens and voters around. We’ve made our voices heard.

For whatever reason I understand a few of our posts have been removed. It takes a total of 3 requests to have them pulled. Care to hazard a guess of which 3 people flagged them? If only we could recall Schaefer, Webster and Comnick from the fire board that easily.

I did see Chief Piccinini at the fair this evening and he was surrounded by people, nice to see his smile and warmth even though he's going through such a challenging time.

Norma offering up $215 in her campaign fund to the volunteers so they could run an ad against Chief Piccinini??? Really?

Think about this. Her campaign account consists of contributions from Anderson citizens and voters, either money was given to her or she raised the funds. Either way do you think the contributors wanted their money to be used against Fire Chief Piccinini? Does she have any idea how wrong this is on so many levels?

Legally it’s wrong. Ethically it’s wrong. Morally it’s wrong. As a board member it’s wrong. She’s buying Chief Piccinini’s dismissal with her campaign money just the way she’s bought Neil Purcell’s investigative report.

I’m sure she’ll say she didn’t realize her actions were wrong or she was misunderstood. If she’s really that senile she definitely has no business on the board/fire council making decisions.

She’s a dirty, dirty politician. Concerned Citizens for a Fair Local Government will be asking for a copy of her campaign expenditures.

AndersonMom, I've thought the same about the strange poster. I never mind a good debate, but would love substance rather than drivel.

56 pages? Are you going to put it in outline form for us. I've heard there are some challenged with the whole concept of outlines...lol.

You do realize HeardEnough since you now know their secrets they'll make you drink the kool aid.

Seriously, you're the typical Anderson voter they like because you don't think they do anything wrong at all and have no free thought of your own. That's exactly how the city has gotten in the mess it is. I realize you're trying to be clever and cute, but you are indicative of the problem. I'm beginning to suspect you're Butch's mom afterall.

It’s so unfortunate that the Chief has become the victim of small town politics. He’s done so much since he’s been here for his staff, volunteers and community. Word on the street is that his own staff is being threatened and intimated to do as their told. Even if they wanted to support him, they’ve been told they better not. Leaks are everywhere and ears are hearing some appalling behavior with the one “wanna-be” chief. The town he came from was glad to see him go since he stirred up the same type of dissension among the staff. Once a trouble maker, always a traitor and an anonymous letter writer as well.

Chief Piccinini will be placed back in office, why? Because it’s the right thing to do. The fire board should reinstate him and all this nastiness will go away. I’ll say again, if he deserves some type of slap on the hand or suspension, then so be it. Deal with it and let’s get on with making Anderson the city it should and could be.

I can absolutely guarantee that if justice is not served, it will be served and dealt with in another court. Chief Piccinini is committed to the truth, no matter how long it takes. The American Civil Liberties Union states, “The ACLU is our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.”

Hey snooperanderson, I guess I'm just spending too much time watching Seinfeld!

Seriously, I think I'm just plain sick and tired of what goes on with the fire board and just don't get why they haven't been asked to resign. Butch is a raving maniac, Keith skitters around like a scared rabbit and Norma, well what really can you say about her except that she and her sidekick/mentor Tom Brown rule our city. In this day and age politicians need to be accountable to their voters and do what they want. We don't put them in office for them to do as they please, it's to do as we want. They forget government is a democracy, it's not a tyranny in the U.S. I'm a voter, I'm proud to be an American but I can tell you from the depths of my heart I'm ashamed of our board/council right now.

A Poem for the Unholy Trinity

Alone in your created hell
Your souls burning, afraid to tell
The schemes you’ve made
And all you’ve betrayed.

How much longer will you pretend
The public’s will you’ve had to bend
Every whim and evil deed
Let’s listen to you for mercy plead.

In case many of you are not aware, the Anderson Fire Protection District board of directors will listen to public comments on the Chief at 7 p.m., June 11, Thursday, before going into closed session. We're not sure how much they will allow, but we encourage all those tired of what has been transpiring to show up and support Chief Piccinini. I know this is short notice, perhaps intentionally on their part. I also wonder what tricks the Unholy Trinity will have up their sleeves. I smell a trap.

In case many of you are not aware, the Anderson Fire Protection District board of directors will listen to public comments on the Chief at 7 p.m., June 11, Thursday, before going into closed session. We're not sure how much they will allow, but we encourage all those tired of what has been transpiring to show up and support Chief Piccinini. I know this is short notice, perhaps intentionally on their part. I also wonder what tricks the Unholy Trinity will have up their sleeves. I smell a trap.