August 23, 2002
In Honor and Memory of the Tragedy of
September 11th
Durham, North Carolina: On Wednesday, September 11, “Charlie’s” is sponsoring a Cook Out from 5:00 – 11:00 pm. This event will take place at 758 Ninth Street. This event is expected to draw hundreds from the surrounding area. All proceeds will be going to the Professional Firefighters of Durham and the Police Benevolent Association of Durham.
The owners and the staff at Charlie’s would like to have a chance to give us their appreciation for the job we do and to pay tribute to our fallen FDNY brothers. Charlie’s is an active supporter of the Durham Fire Department.
The Professional Firefighters of Durham L-668 executive board is asking all members, union and non-union to attend this event. They expect a big crowd there and would like to have firefighters on hand to receive their gratitude. We are still in the planning stage for this event, more details will follow.
August 22, 2002
Memorial Service to Honor Fallen FDNY Members
Durham, North Carolina: On Wednesday, September 11, the City and County of Durham in conjunction with American Legion Post #7 and Capital Broadcasting will hold a ceremony to remember September 11 and recognize local heroes.
All Fire Department personnel are invited to attend the ceremony at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (409 Blackwell Street). Activities will start at 8am in front of DFD Station # 1 with a dedication from the Vietnam veterans to the Durham Fire Department. After the dedication we will march from DFD Station # 1 to the Durham Athletic Park. DFD dress will be class “A” uniform dress.
As September 11 was declared Patriot Day by the U.S. Congress (Public Law 107-89), Mayor Bill Bell and Commissioner MaryAnn Black will lay a special wreath to commemorate our nations major conflicts. The Durham Fire Department will ring a bell 11 times in remembrance of the American Revolution, War of 1812, Mexican War of 1848, American Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam, Persian Gulf War and War on Terrorism. Other ceremony activities include remarks from Mayor Bell and Commissioner Black and sermonic selections by the Durham Police Department Choir.
The Professional Firefighters of Durham L-668 executive board is asking all members, union and non-union to attend this event. You are not only being honored be our local government, citizens, other organizations, but we will be honoring our 343 fallen brothers from FDNY. We are still in the planning stage for this event, more details will follow. Our Local will be co-sponsoring a luncheon immediately after the event at the American Legion on Trinity Ave.
May 6, 2002
Brothers and Sisters,
Earlier today I attended a meeting with Marcia Conner, City Manager. The meeting is the second of what is to be quarterly meetings, involving representatives of the different labor groups and the Manager’s office. Representatives from the D.C.W.U. UE150, P.B.A., F.O.P., as well as our local and staff of the city manager were present. The meeting was candid and open for comments, compliments and concerns of city employees.
Again, like Kelly Mac on the first meeting, I will be very brief and fill you in on topics that were discussed during our meeting.
The current situation for fiscal year 2002-2003 is that the state is withholding nearly 6 million dollars of reimbursement to the City and the likelihood of the state withholding another 4 million in 2003 worsens the City’s overall budget situation.
The City Manager informed us of the city budget and the adoption of the goals that were set forth by the City Council last week. City Council wants a balanced budget with no tax increase. They directed the City Manager to proceed with this philosophy.
As city departments presented their budget proposals for next year, the city of Durham’s shortfall is currently $8 to $12 million. Departments are continuing to look at ways to achieve greater efficiency in programs and services. The clear focus will be services and programs that have outlived their usefulness, that are duplicated in other agencies, or that can be better provided by another agency.
New initiatives are being reviewed and prioritized to ensure that service quality in essential core areas, including public safety, solid waste collection, and environmental resources is not diminished. Nevertheless, all areas in departments as well as across the entire organization are being examined closely to achieve maximum efficiency in:
Services
Programs
Staffing
It may mean that some jobs and vacant positions with in the city may need to be eliminated.
The city manager is proposing a small pay increase, up to 3 percent.
Health Care and Pharmacy costs, nationally are going up. These costs affect the City’s ability to maintain our current level of benefit plans. Several adjustments are currently being considered. Increase in health care could be as much as 17%. Please keep in mind that the city takes bids for these benefits. The health care providers have to compete against each other. This hopefully keeps the cost to a minimum. Specifics of increases are unknown at this time. More information will be provided when final health care costs are determined in June or July. Options that are being considered include adjusting co pays, and/or deductibles of coverage and increasing employee contributions.
Changes to the grievance policy are forthcoming. This was a well-received change. Those that are familiar with the old (current) policy should note a change for the better. That was the assurance from Ms. Conner. Task force representatives working on the policy report the potential and environment to develop a fairer process exists. The policy should be in draft form in the near future. We did receive a copy of the draft this day. It will be forward to you as soon as I type it out.
After you receive it, forward your comments to me. Please take time to read and forward your suggestions. This is your opportunity to take part in this policy.
The following is a memo that the City Manager asked us to forward to you and to encourage you to take the time to read and to fill out.
“I need your candid opinion about the organizational beliefs and values that guide how we work together. I need your thoughts about areas where we can improve.
That is why I am asking you to attend one of several citywide meetings on:
Thursday May 9th Public Works Operation Center 8 to 9 am
Tuesday May 14th City Hall Council chambers 1 pm to 2 pm.
Thursday May 16th Solid Waste 7:30 to 8:30 am.
The purpose of theses meetings is to obtain feedback from you on how to improve City services. All employees are asked to attend one of these meetings. Your department director will inform you of which meeting you have been scheduled to attend.
The Water Consulting Group. Inc., an independent consulting company has been asked to conduct the meeting. Part of the feedback will be in the form of a customized opinion survey that everyone will be asked to complete. All responses and feedback will be presented to the City in a summary format and individual responses will be kept confidential. No one from the City will review the surveys or be able to identify the individual employee response. Again I am relying on each of you to provide your honest and candid opinion on what the city is doing right as well as what we can do to improve. To reach our common goal of excellence, I believe that we must understand every employee’s opinion about the City’s management practices and performance management program.
The feedback from the meeting and the survey will be used as a first step toward determining possible changes that affect your job performance, including personnel policies, enhanced training and development programs and various compensation strategies.
Thank you in advance for your participation and feedback.”
Marcia Conner
City Manager
Again this was presented to us at this meeting. All employees should be receiving this be city e-mail.
The Professional Firefighters of Durham executive board is asking you to participate honestly and professionally. Identify the good things that we are doing as will as where the department can improve (i.e. staffing, equipment, discipline policy, transfers, promotion policy, hiring practices, adding battalions / stations, etc).
Ms. Conner has been, and remains, proactive with involving the City of Durham’s labor organizations with major issues concerning employees. This is the type of relationship, I believe, will prosper over the years, and become one that has rarely been seen in Durham. I encourage all union members to forward concerns, ideas, questions or complaints, via e-mail, to the local. The executive board will review them and address those at future meetings with the City Manager.
Fraternally,
April 29, 2002
The Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill is hosting their annual Camp Celebrate for burned children on May 17, 18 and 19. This camp is a time for children who have been burned to meet with children who are currently recovering from burns.
The biggest supporters of this camp have
been firefighters from across the state including; Chapel Hill, Raleigh,Charlotte and Greensboro This year we would like to make a strong showing for Durham. The camp is in need of volunteers to assist throughout the weekend. Some of the campers are children who require twenty-four special care due to their burns, so the camp likes to have a 1:1 ratio of counselors to campers.
This year, the Professional Firefighters of Durham Local 668 have volunteered to assist with the activities on on the 18th. We have been
asked to serve lunch at Horace Williams Airport to approximately forty campers and counselors who will be participating in sightseeing flights at
the airport. We need to be completely self sufficient at this lunch.We will need to supply the following for forty people:
Food (hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, dessert, sodas, salad, condiments, etc.)
COUNSELORS/SERVERS
If you can volunteer or assist in any way,
please contact me. If you can volunteer any other time throughout the weekend please let me know or contact Michelle Barr at the Jaycee Burn
Center.
Respectfully,
Mike Clumpner
Engine 3-A
William Towner, Vice-President
P.F.F.D., IAFF L-668
Tables and chairs
Grill(s)
Coolers and ice
Plates, cups, napkins and silverware
We have been asked to plan on serving lunch between 1200 and 1300 so we will need to set up about 1030 and plan on being there until 1400 or so. I have
been in contact with Michelle Barr, or laison at the Burn Center and she will keep me posted with any changes.
