Misinformation is the fingerprint of the opposition to the immediate replacement of Pendleton’s Fire Station #1.
Last year, Pendleton Fire Chief Mike Ciraulo held a series of meetings in which he summarized the contents of the McKenzie Report. What was found by those who examined the information with an open mind is that the current station is unsafe; it is full of mold that was caused by the leaking roof, it is full of carcinogens from exhaust, and it does not have sleeping quarters for both genders. This is not an exhaustive list, but the bullet points for any basic discussion on the subject.
The bond is not only meant to pay for the building. Included in the $10 million price tag is money for new equipment. According to Ciraulo, if the bond does not pass he will have to ask the City Council for about $300,000 for new breathing apparatus to replace the current equipment that must be replaced next year. That is to say that if the voters choose to not replace the equipment now, the money will be taken from the general fund next year because this is vital equipment that the department cannot do its job without.
We feel that it is improper to outright tell you how to vote. The United States is a nation of freedom, and one of those freedoms is choice. The voter may choose to vote however they wish. But there are benefits to voting one way, and no benefit to voting the other way.
Part of being the premier city in Eastern Oregon is having efficient emergency services! We support the Pendleton Fire Department! We support the bond!