"Political Action Works for San Angelo Local 886
May 26, 2006 – San Angelo, TX Local 886 is celebrating the success of its political action efforts both of the city council members it endorsed were elected on May 13. Local 886 formed its first Political Action Committee (PAC) in September 2005, and campaigned for candidates John Fields Jr. and Jon Hogg – both of whom won by a landslide.
Fields won the District 1 seat with 69.6 percent of the vote over his opponents – Debbie Albert and Thomas Madron. Hogg won the District 5 seat with 83.7 percent of the vote over his opponent Sonny Shapiro.
"This is a particularly important victory because San Angelo Local 886 does not have collective bargaining," says IAFF 11th District Vice President Sandy McGhee. Members wanted to change the political environment in San Angelo and the local sent Treasurer Bubba Barnett to a political action seminar in Richardson, Texas, with IAFF District Field Service Representative (DFSR) Joe Tellez.
"They took what they learned and applied it to their advantage," says McGhee. "I applaud their efforts for a job well done."
In 1997, a pay referendum was passed in San Angelo stipulating that fire fighters would be guaranteed comparable pay to surrounding cities of similar size. However, in 2005, the city council maintained it did not need to keep the promises of the old council and would only keep up with the pay if the city had the money.
"That was the impetus that got us thinking about political action," says Donald White, president of Local 886. "We couldn’t stand by and let the council go back on its word.
Both Fields and Hogg supported one of Local 886’s biggest issues – the need to hire additional fire fighters. The candidates also supported the fire fighters’ pay issue to prevent losing quality fire fighters to other departments that pay more.
"We’ve heard for years how important political action is," White says. "Now, we know it is true. The hope is that we can continue with this positive momentum."
https://www.iaff.org/Comm/Spotlight/06Stories/052606SanAngelo.htm
In SMD1 the May 11, 2013 election the San Angelo Fire Fighter’s Association is supporting Rodney Fleming
In SMD5 ehe May 11, 2013 election the San Angelo Fire Fighter’s Association is supporting David McBride
A place for open minded people to express their views and read like minded views and news. The people of San Angelo are very open minded and intellectually talented and gifted. Unfortunately the local news outlets have no interest in connecting with the community. Like other local blogers I hope to provide an alternative.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Bill Richardson for San Angelo City Council Single Member District one
Bill Richardson
for SMD1
Vote May 11, 2013.
New Ideas!
Involving Everyone!
Encourage and investigate new ideas such as the Street Maintenance Sales Tax. Controlling the Red Arroyo flooding to use the water as a city water source as proposed by the Upper Colorado River Authority.
Propose the deepening of Lake Nasworthy to hold a larger amount of water.
Opposing "blending" untreated water from the Hickory Aquifer into our reservoirs and rivers.
Work to upgrade Fire and Police Department facilities and equipment. Increase employee benefits and incentives. Security for city employees.
Oppose the involvement of the San Angelo Fire Fighters Association donating money and material to San Angelo City Council Candidates.
Work to upgrade, repair and maintain streets on a priority basis.
Support south side development. Oppose concentration on only one area. (downtown.)
Work to combine old fire training site with Glenmore Park for parking & safer entrance to the park.
Work to support fine arts and community recreational facilities.
Establish an annual multicultural outdoor festival promoting foods, dress, customs and art from individual Native American, Black American, Mid-Eastern, European, Mexican, Central/South American and Asian cultures.
Work to foster and build communication and respect between San Angelo City Council and Citizens. We need to be pragmatic, not grandiose.
I want all areas of the city and all citizens to be treated equally by San Angelo City Government. I have an open door policy with no obligations to big business or the real estate business.
BIO.
Retired Cartographic Technologist from the Alberta Government where I worked with, Climatologists, Foresters, Biologists, Planners, Computer Programmers & Analysts, and GIS staff. Planned and saw large $ projects to completion. Coordinated government to private sector contracts. Understand the strategic planning process & how government works.
Studied Municipal Planning, Road, Canal & Dam Construction, Graphic Arts, Computer Programming, Topographic and Planimetric Mapping and more at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.
Studied Architectural/Mechanical Drafting & Design and Electrical Technology at the college level.
58 years mature, married with one son. Choose to live in San Angelo [Texas.] Lived here for 18 years and have stake in the community. I became an American Citizen in 2006.
Phone 325-227-2958
w.richardson@suddenlink.net
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Sunday, October 7, 2012
October 5 1012 Special San Angelo City Council Meeting
At the October 5 1012 Special San Angelo City Council Meeting, San Angelo Mayer New explained that the City of San Angelo needs to sell water in order to pay for the running of the water department and to pay for maintenance, upkeep and renewal of the water system’s infrastructure.
Stephen Brown, representing the San Angelo Weather Advisory Board advised against staying in drought level three saying that weather patterns are indicating we entering into an El Nino pattern which will bring our area wetter falls and springs.
Jerry Sea, a San Angelo citizen expressed the concern that the City of San Angelo needs to eradicate invasive plant species which are absorbing large amounts of water before the water can get to our reservoirs.
Another San Angelo resident suggesting returning to drought level 2 instead of drought level 1.
Pam Bladine, implied she spoke for the Chicken Farm Art Center by invoking it’s name. Ms. Bladine accused San Angelo residents who use well water of rubbing it other’s faces by having "well water" signs on their front lawns.
Ms. Bladine erroneously claimed that San Angelo residents who use well water are depleting water from the city’s water supply. Residents of San Angelo who have wells are obtaining water from an aquifer which is completely independent of San Angelo’s water supply.
Ms. Bladine erroneously stated that we live a desert, we do not live in a desert we live in a semi-arid climatic area. Ms. Bladine claimed California has raped the North Western United States by siphoning off water from that area. Facts are that other states such as Nevada have been involved in diverting water to areas which need the water rather than letting the water drain into the Pacific Ocean. Building aqueducts and canals just as the Romans and other civilizations have done.
San Angelo City Council Members Charlotte Farmer, Johnny Silvas and Fredd Adams claimed that most people in San Angelo want to stay in drought level 3 however they offered no proof to support their claim.
Council Member Paul Alexander earlier stated that he had conducted a "Facebook" Poll that showed the majority of respondents favored staying in drought level 3. Mr. Alexander has a reputation in the community of banning citizens who do not agree with him from his "public" Facebook site.
Mr. Alexander did stress that we need to protect businesses and jobs and favored returning to drought level 1.
Council Member Farmer expressed the concern that the San Angelo City Council should not be seen as financially gouging San Angelo citizens by staying in drought level 3. Ironically Ms. Farmer voted to stay in drought level 3 and only changed her vote after accepting that she did not want to face the consequences of defying the written law.
Council Member Farmer did emphasize that we still need to conserve our water supplies.
Through out the meeting City Attorney Lysia Bowling explained numerous times that city council members had no choice under present law but to return the city to drought level 1 since the San Angelo City Water Director had informed council that we now have over 22 months of water reserves. Council Members Charlotte Farmer, Johnny Silvas and Fredd Adams had a very hard time grasping this fact of law.
One observer pointed out: " This city council thinks they do not have to stop at a stop sign even though it is the law."
Now that three Social Democrats/Social Planners; San Angelo City Council Members Charlotte Farmer, Johnny Silvas and Fredd Adams have realized that they could not get their way under present law they have proclaimed they are smarter than previous city councils and that they know better than San Angelo’s citizens. They want to change the law to comply with their own personal opinions.
My opinion is that any change to the ordinance governing drought levels should be put before San Angelo voters in the form of a public referendum to prove the validity of claims made by Council Members Charlotte Farmer, Johnny Silvas, Fredd Adams and Paul Alexander that the citizens of San Angelo want to remain in drought level 3 when we have 22 months of water reserves available to us.
The "Old Farmers Almanac" predicted that we would get a substantial rain storm in September. So let us count our blessings and use the water which has been provided to us to sustain businesses, jobs, lawns, lawns, etc.
A real-estate agent will tell you a house’s value is determined by the square footage and the value of the other houses in the neighborhood. I believe the home buyer sees things differently. I would be less interested in a home with a dead lawn, trees and shrubs.
Stephen Brown, representing the San Angelo Weather Advisory Board advised against staying in drought level three saying that weather patterns are indicating we entering into an El Nino pattern which will bring our area wetter falls and springs.
Jerry Sea, a San Angelo citizen expressed the concern that the City of San Angelo needs to eradicate invasive plant species which are absorbing large amounts of water before the water can get to our reservoirs.
Another San Angelo resident suggesting returning to drought level 2 instead of drought level 1.
Pam Bladine, implied she spoke for the Chicken Farm Art Center by invoking it’s name. Ms. Bladine accused San Angelo residents who use well water of rubbing it other’s faces by having "well water" signs on their front lawns.
Ms. Bladine erroneously claimed that San Angelo residents who use well water are depleting water from the city’s water supply. Residents of San Angelo who have wells are obtaining water from an aquifer which is completely independent of San Angelo’s water supply.
Ms. Bladine erroneously stated that we live a desert, we do not live in a desert we live in a semi-arid climatic area. Ms. Bladine claimed California has raped the North Western United States by siphoning off water from that area. Facts are that other states such as Nevada have been involved in diverting water to areas which need the water rather than letting the water drain into the Pacific Ocean. Building aqueducts and canals just as the Romans and other civilizations have done.
San Angelo City Council Members Charlotte Farmer, Johnny Silvas and Fredd Adams claimed that most people in San Angelo want to stay in drought level 3 however they offered no proof to support their claim.
Council Member Paul Alexander earlier stated that he had conducted a "Facebook" Poll that showed the majority of respondents favored staying in drought level 3. Mr. Alexander has a reputation in the community of banning citizens who do not agree with him from his "public" Facebook site.
Mr. Alexander did stress that we need to protect businesses and jobs and favored returning to drought level 1.
Council Member Farmer expressed the concern that the San Angelo City Council should not be seen as financially gouging San Angelo citizens by staying in drought level 3. Ironically Ms. Farmer voted to stay in drought level 3 and only changed her vote after accepting that she did not want to face the consequences of defying the written law.
Council Member Farmer did emphasize that we still need to conserve our water supplies.
Through out the meeting City Attorney Lysia Bowling explained numerous times that city council members had no choice under present law but to return the city to drought level 1 since the San Angelo City Water Director had informed council that we now have over 22 months of water reserves. Council Members Charlotte Farmer, Johnny Silvas and Fredd Adams had a very hard time grasping this fact of law.
One observer pointed out: " This city council thinks they do not have to stop at a stop sign even though it is the law."
Now that three Social Democrats/Social Planners; San Angelo City Council Members Charlotte Farmer, Johnny Silvas and Fredd Adams have realized that they could not get their way under present law they have proclaimed they are smarter than previous city councils and that they know better than San Angelo’s citizens. They want to change the law to comply with their own personal opinions.
My opinion is that any change to the ordinance governing drought levels should be put before San Angelo voters in the form of a public referendum to prove the validity of claims made by Council Members Charlotte Farmer, Johnny Silvas, Fredd Adams and Paul Alexander that the citizens of San Angelo want to remain in drought level 3 when we have 22 months of water reserves available to us.
The "Old Farmers Almanac" predicted that we would get a substantial rain storm in September. So let us count our blessings and use the water which has been provided to us to sustain businesses, jobs, lawns, lawns, etc.
A real-estate agent will tell you a house’s value is determined by the square footage and the value of the other houses in the neighborhood. I believe the home buyer sees things differently. I would be less interested in a home with a dead lawn, trees and shrubs.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Thomas Paine on the role of political parties.
“But who are those to whom Mr. Burke
has made his appeal? A set of childish thinkers, and half-way
politicians born in the last century, men who went no farther with
any principle than as it suited their purpose as a party; the Nation
was always left out of the question; and this has been the character
of every party from that to this. The Nation sees nothing in such
works, or such politics, worthy its attention. A little matter will
move a party, but it must be something great that moves a Nation.”
Common Sense, Rights of Man and other
essential writings of Thomas Paine: Signet Classics 200rh Anniversary
Edition; page 260.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
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