![\"\"](\"http:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Fire-Chief-John-Wayne.jpg\" "\\"Fire")
I have to keep questioning your motives here…I am not sure why you cannot trust your Fire Chief especially when the Chairman of the Board has been in attendance and our labor attorney as well. \u00a0I guess you cannot trust the 3 of us to represent the best interests of the District??? \u00a0You tried this during the last negotiations a few years ago as well. \u00a0You have continually put the negotiations process and the District’s position at risk with your admitted exchange of information with District 6 members. \u00a0It appears that your alliance is with the Union, that is your choice. \u00a0You have continually attacked my integrity and questioned my actions during this negotiations process, as well as the last negotiations process. \u00a0You apparently do not trust me and cannot work with me, and that is very disappointing.<\/p>\n
Since you have such a close relationship with the Union, they should have no problem providing you with the audio tapes you have requested. \u00a0As soon as I have the opportunity to download them for you I will…as I stated before, since they are on my personal recording device. \u00a0Right now my priority is preparing for another arbitration hearing\u00a0on Tuesday\u00a0and the Impasse hearing the following week. \u00a0Audio recordings of negotiations only hurt the Union at this point. \u00a0The Board has been more than reasonable and very consistent in their direction to me during negotiations and 3 executive sessions. \u00a0You obviously have not been on board with the group and I have to move forward with the majority direction.<\/p>\n
The other “stack” of information you have requested should be ready next week and I will advise when it is in your mailbox.<\/p>\n
Remember, the taxpayers voted you into your position, not the Union. \u00a0Commissioners have a tough job trying to strike a balance between the expectations\/needs of the taxpayers, the public’s safety, and the needs\/wants\/demands of the employees as do I. \u00a0My focus right now is the public safety and if that is a crime, then I am guilty.<\/p>\n
I am not going to make any knee jerk reactions based upon pressure from anyone. \u00a0I am doing the best job that I can based upon what I have been dealt as the Chief of this District…and I feel that I have done a pretty good job keeping this organization on track and digging us out of a huge hole. \u00a0I have committed 110% to this position and we have accomplished probably the biggest single thing (fire fee assessment) than any other FD has ever done in this area. \u00a0This FD has a future because of the assessment and that was my personal goal\/commitment to this organization.<\/p>\n
I honestly do not think there is anything that I can do to please you at this point. \u00a0I will offer you this option, if you are so dissatisfied with what I am doing…why don’t you offer to buy out the remainder of my contract and get 2 more Commissioners to support that as well. \u00a0I would be more than happy to waive specific clauses in my contract to allow that to happen. \u00a0That way, you can attempt to hire another Chief…hopefully to your liking. \u00a0You did not care for Chief Adams either.<\/p>\n
I have done all of the hard work, I have taken most of the beatings from the public, and I have endured all of the fallout from the employees due to the negotiations process. \u00a0Hopefully, the next Chief can be the hero…he\/she will have the easy part.<\/p>\n
I definitely do not feel very appreciated and I hope other Board members feel differently about me than you do.<\/p>\n
I have never been able to get you to sit down face to face with me to discuss your issues, you just bring them up at public meetings and\/or through e-mail.<\/p>\n
I will continue to fight for what is right for this District and I will always standup for myself when others attempt to question my ethics and integrity. \u00a0You do not have to like me, but we need to work together regardless.<\/p>\n
I can assure you that if the public found out what this Board has offered back to the employees and the attitude\/position of the Union…they would crucify the Union.<\/p>\n
I can also say that I am very confident that the offer presented to the Union today probably would be approved if it was put to a secret ballot vote.<\/p>\n
However, Union officials will not put it to a vote and would rather force an Impasse hearing. \u00a0I think they fear what may happen…members may ratify the agreement. \u00a0Union officials also put pressure on the District 19 DVP as well to not sign an agreement; however, District 19 did the right thing and supported the Board’s position.<\/p>\n
It is sad that we have not received the first penny of the fee assessment and this is happening.<\/p>\n
JW<\/p>\n —- Wednesday morning Commissioner Kruse sent the following email to all of the employees of the Lehigh Acres Fire District:<\/p>\n Written by Fire Commissioner Cathy Kruse:<\/p>\n All, Fire Chief Wayne wrote the following email to Fire Commissioner Cathy Kruse and also copied it to the other Fire Commissioners. Written by Chief John Wayne: I have to keep… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[57,32],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37216"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37216"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37216\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"http:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Cathy-Kruse-215x300.jpg\" "\\"Cathy")
\nThis email was sent to me last week. (Editor\u2019s note: Referencing John Wayne email above)
\nI’m not sure what warranted it, other than me requesting information through email, but I feel that it is important that you see what I received, since you have also been getting other correspondence from administration.
\nI have lived in Lehigh Acres for twenty-seven plus years, and have been involved with what has been going on in this district for almost eight years, the last three as a Commissioner.
\nIt is with my best intentions that I carry out my job. I have and will continue to do what I feel is in the best interest of the district.
\nI am not just a Lehigh Acres Fire Commissioner; I am also your fire commissioner.
\nI recognize and appreciate the work you do each day.
\nThank you,
\nCathy Kruse<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"