In the months leading up to the at-large City Council election, I’ll be occasionally pulling out some pertinent data on Gale Thetford and posting it under the headline “The Thetford Files.” George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” and if there’s one part of the past it would be a real shame to repeat, it’s the election of Gale Thetford to the City Council.
So, without any further ado, here’s a quote from the Nov. 22, 2003, City Council minutes:
Council Member Thetford repeated her motion not to hire 11 firefighters this year and not to close Fire Station #11, or any other station, not to fund with overtime, and challenge the Fire Department to decide whether a jump crew would be utilized or putting equipment out of service.
Recovering from a fire can be really difficult, however, we recommend you to look for fire damage repair services to pick up all the damages that this incident have left.
Council Member Ardis questioned Council Member Thetford regarding her motion. He said the recommendation was directly contrary to that of a 20-plus year professional firefighter and head of the City’s Fire Department.
[…]
Motion to not hire 11 firefighters this year, but not to close Fire Station #11, or any other station, not to fund with overtime, and challenge the Fire Department to decide whether a jump crew could be utilized or to put a piece of equipment out of service was approved by roll call vote.
Yeas: Gulley, Morris, Teplitz, Thetford, Turner, Mayor Ransburg – 6;
Nays: Ardis, Grayeb, Nichting, Sandberg, Spears – 5.
Just a reminder, of the six who voted for this motion, three were defeated in the very next election: Ransburg (replaced by Ardis), Teplitz (replaced by Van Auken), and Thetford (replaced by Manning). Of the five nays, all are still currently serving on the council.
You deserve a medal, CJ. Thetford was a first-class jerk when she was on the council, and her having the nerve to run for an at-large seat is an insult to the citizens of Peoria.
What has anyone done since then to fully staff the fire department? Nothing. so it is an endorsement of the ststus quo. At least the station is open. I still think they should fully staff the FD. The city is on thin ice as to a adquate fire department under a large emergency, heck they even might be forced to call the Heights FD for mutial aid.
Should make for some interesting reading and at least individuals trying to decide whether to vote for her will have a record to review unlike some of the other candidates who can promise anything (and deliver nothing – as we’re seeing from some of those who replaced the three you mentioned).
I still find it ironic that if that was such a bad decision THREE years ago, that nothing has been done to reverse the decision. You would assume that the five voting against the motion plus the three new “essential services” councilmembers, would have enough brainpower to have figured out that they now have eight votes ( a majority) and can make changes. But for some reason they haven’t.
Perhaps the alternatives they had to consider were worse than the status quo?