MAY 15, 2014, St. Louis, Missouri…Russell Lake, founder of non-profit community organization Monarch Residents for Truth (http://www.monarchresidentsfortruth.org) is praising firefighters and paramedics in the Monarch Fire Protection District who are dealing with resignations of three fire chiefs in recent months and leadership controversy.

“As a Chesterfield resident and taxpayer I am very relieved that our firefighters and paramedics are assuring citizens that services will not be affected despite the resignations of Chief Tom Vineyard and two other chiefs in recent months, and the appointment of a new Acting Chief, ” notes Lake.

“Chief Vineyard was much admired,” says Lake, who works as a Certified Business Advisor for small and mid size businesses in metropolitan St. Louis. “Chief Vineyard had entered the fire service as a private and worked his way to the top.  He resigned in April a few weeks after Battalion Chief Dave Houston resigned and two months after Assistant Chief John Borgmann resigned.

“These resignations occurred at a time when the Monarch Board has been publicly chastised for exceeding the District’s 2013 budget by $725,000 and for rehiring former Deputy Chief Cary Spiegel, who was previously fired after he was embroiled in a gender discrimination lawsuit,” notes Lake.

“These issues raised questions among local residents about Board management of the district and the district’s future,” he adds.

“Despite these leadership resignations and questions about the Board of Directors’ management of taxpayer dollars, our community’s firefighter/paramedic team is constantly on duty providing emergency services to residents, businesses and property owners,” says Lake.

“I applaud our firefighter/paramedic team who are members of the Professional Fire Fighters of Eastern Missouri IAFF Local 2665 for their unwavering commitment to serve our community.”

Firefighters/Paramedics in the Monarch Fire Protection District serve large parts of Chesterfield, Ballwin, Clarkson Valley, Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights and Wildwood, plus parts of unincorporated St. Louis County. The district covers 63 square miles as an independent taxing authority with a three-member Board of Directors elected to six-year terms.

The independent, non-profit community organization Monarch Residents for Truth provides information, news and opinions to help people understand important issues in Monarch Fire Protection District.

For more information, see the website http://www.monarchresidentsfor…