UNION STATES ITS SIDE AT PUBLIC MEETING

Well guys, I went to last night's meeting with a friend and while we came in 10 minutes late, we didn't miss anything. On the way there I was texted that the press and the Bensalem 3 stooges (Harran, Ponticelli, and Topley: AKA "Moe" Larry, and "Curly" Joe DiRita. You know the worst Stooge. The original one Andrew Annisman AKA "Curly", and Glen Vandergrift AKA "Shemp", were nowhere to be found), were at this meeting! When we arrived the conference was already underway, and Steve Carmichael was the main one talking and answering questions. He was very forthright, and answered every question in an honest and complete manner. He shared with the crowd of 75-100 people, that this was a complete shock to the membership that the township would do something like this. He reiterated that the fire department and its members had done NOTHING wrong. According to the Patch:

The longtime president said, as far as he knows, there are three issues that were being discussed with the township that prompted the "unprecedented" suspension:

• The company's refusal to dismiss a member with a health issue after a lawyer told it such action could open it up to litigation
• A false accusation that the company refused to share water at an April 19 fire with the township's paid firefighters
• Two members going against protocol by responding to fires without two more firefighters on the truck

As the meeting went on, Carmichael went on to say that this truly was the result of grudges, and also the result of retaliation against Troisi for his testimony at a certain patrolman's (Now retired LIEUTENANT!) trial, in 2009. During the meeting, a woman who was possibly a republican plant, started criticizing the matter of the volunteers in the fire department being from "out of town", and not from Bensalem. As someone from the crowd stated "What does it matter?" As far as this writer is concerned, as long as there is someone to rescue me in from any fire, car accident, or other dangerous situation, I DON'T CARE IF THEY'RE FROM BENSALEM OR NOT!! During this, it became a little heated, but calmed down. However, one man spotted Harran and the other stooges in the back, and caught Harran taping the proceedings!! COWARD!! He invited Harran to come up and answer the questions that were put forth that night, but Harran refused to tell the truth, because he refused to say anything!! He further denied in the Courier Times sending a letter to Carmichael ordering him to terminate at member from the fire company, for a disability, when he actually did!! I have seen the letter, and can strongly and most assuredly say that Fred Harran is LYING!!! During the entire time that Harran was being asked questions, not once did he ANSWER ANYONE'S QUESTIONS, nor did he do so in an honest fashion. Mrs. Jeffrey Candidate for council and myself, confronted Harran, and demanded to know the specifics what what operational procedures the fire company violated, but he refused to answer. This is because there are none, and he knows it! All through this, he tried to state the public had no right to inform the police department that they wanted to know the results of an investigation, Mrs. Jeffrey and myself, informed him otherwise. I also warned you Harran, that I only print the truth, and there it is!

Here is the truth in its simplest form:

The facts…

Director of Public Safety Harran is directly responsible for the following:

1. A $5,100,000.00 training center that DID NOT meet the requirements for the Bensalem Fire Service. The complaints that we need the training center so that we don't have to travel to Bucks County facility have not been answered. We still have to travel.

2. A paid fire service with no plan of operation, no funding plan and no direction.

3. A larger than ever Fire Marshall staff that STILL cannot inspect all the businesses in Bensalem.

4. A falsified Federal Grant application to obtain the SAFER money for the paid fire service.

5. Continued secret projects that do not include the fire service except to tell them they have to pay for it.

6. Harassment of a fire company utilizing the police department. Refusing to work with fire departments that have come up with ideas to improve service and reduce taxes.

7. Increased EMS tax for the same service we were receiving before the tax increase.

8. A future tax increase to pay for the money needed to pay for the paid fire company.

9. The confiscation of the fire companies Relief Money to fund the programs he wants and pay for purchases for the few companies that did not properly manage their money.

10. Threats of arrest of a fire chief that wanted to clear his name.

11. Providing false information to the media and the public.

12. NO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP…STILL
 While Carmichael spoke the truth, and gave every bit of info he had, Harran has proven himself to be UNWORTHY of being a public safety director, especially when it comes to dealing with fires and fire companies.
Harran is doing this for the following reasons:
    1. The company's refusal to dismiss a member with a health issue after a lawyer told it such action could open it up to litigation
    2. A false accusation that the company refused to share water at an April 19 fire with the township's paid firefighters
I think we need to see what Harran is Hiding!!!
Support Union Fire Company!!
Pen Ryn Mansion
1601 State rd
Bensalem, PA 19020
7P.M.