Councilman LeGare pushes back against Aurora police, fire union attack

1. I absolutely agree with Bob on this issue, there are far more efficient ways to respond to the majority of non-fire related calls than to send a large fire truck and ambulance to every call. The City needs to insist on these more efficient options. You can save money and not impact response time.

   1. I agree with Bob LeGare (and Linda Strand) on this issue, too. As one of my neighbors recently said: “I like, and we need, the thoughts LeGare brings to the table”. LeGare has always given straight-forward answers to the hard questions. He has my vote!

      1. I also agree with Bob LeGare and the two people above who are very knowledgeable about the city and its policies. LeGare thoroughly studies the issues and does what is best for Aurora and its residents. He also has my vote!

         1. there is also a possibility that Council Member LeGare does what is best for HIS best interest. He has been very
            upfront that his family owns mineral rights which means his family would get paid if and when this land is
            fracked. When asked at a Candidates forum if he would agree not participate in any vote or conversation about
            fracking, he said NO because he also owns lots of commercial properties in Aurora, and wouldn’t be able to
            vote on lots of things. Citizens might not think this is a big deal, but something to think about.

      2. Oil and gas development and more and more wells and facilities in Aurora is one of those “hard questions.” Yet LeGare sold us out by merely repeating FALSE industry mantra at the September 28 at-large candidate forum in Murphy Creek. He even went beyond State regulations by supporting Aurora’s extreme ruling that only the first buyer of property with a well or within State setback minimums must be notified. Aurora could support openly advising all future purchasers, but LeGare said he supports buyers needing to be smart enough to first check it out on their own and read the fine print at closing. Of course, LeGare is not even informing the citizenry that there is a need to find out about oil and gas development on or near one’s property — after all, LeGare says “It’s safe,” which goes against all independent science and the more than 400 peer-reviewed (the truest) health reports (including those from Colorado) that more than convinced New York Gov. Cuomo to ban any and all new fracking in New York State. LeGare’s ideas go against the health, safety, and welfare of all Aurorans who breathe air and drink water and care about property values too, and especially those people in Renie Peterson’s ward who can see flaring (poisonous air emissions) from their Adonea kitchen sink, the Murphy Creek Golf Club, Traditions, and other neighborhoods.

   2. When my father-in-law died at his home in Denver, 1970, I found him at 6 in evening, age 90. with my wife and I having spent day before, taking him to his doctor, pharmacy, shopping, and have dinner at restaurant. He had serious heart problem, but capable of own care at home. He had noon lunch, did his dishes, laid down on bed for nap, and did not awake. I called at 3 PM, no answer, but called again at 5 PM since he was hard of hearing. Drove over, and called 911- told them that was senior residential area. Do not use sirens. Rigor Mortis had set in. need coroner. But Denver Policy was ambulance and fire truck with sirens blazing . Fire Truck, Ambulance arrived with sirens blazing. Then we stood around for hour until coroner who they called, arrived. Neighborhood citizens out until fire truck and ambulance departed, then we waited for pickup by mortician vehicle. All Denver assistance was positive, but excessive due to policy, rules, and probably union rules of who can function for each task. Small oxygen tank should be on ambulance, if not fire or major problem. Can see fire truck if oxygen needed for firemen to enter burning building, but to block streets, with excess vehicles on routine calls, is not kind to neighbors, or tax-payers. (note: same rules existed at Samsonite, when I as Electrician had to stop what I was working on, to go to other part of plant, to flip electrical switch, the operator had turned off with problem, or had flipped on its own for problem. POLICY AND UNION RULE. And slowed my other work to stop, be gone for time, then return to job.

      1. You do realize this is 2016….46 years later? Things have changed a little in half a century. Your continuous, ancient anecdotal evidence adds nothing to this current issue.

         1. Yep. Not for the better. And I stay more in touch with what is happening then you tweeters. I still have contacts, and folks I supported in past, and still do.
            So go smoke some more pot, drink some alcohol, and above all go up in the mountains for a long, leisurely drive like we used to.
            We used to do that before all the wonderful, modern coastal folks moved here with democrat ideas, and got their panties in a wad when they see a gun, legislated legal recreational and medical drugs. Now be very careful when driving the freeways, for those who believe everyone else is driving the wrong way, not themselves.

         2. And I think it does. If you don’t know history, you will repeat the same problems and errors, over and over. That is why Democrats vote for Democrats, even if a yellow dog, blue dog, or any other color dog. Just as one man in Colorado proved years ago, when “Pirate” his dog got over 2,000 votes for president. And the dog and owner lived in cave in the mountains. He proved his point, didn’t he?

         3. And I would remind you this is a conversation, in print. You are entitled to your opinion, and I am entitled to my opinion. I also have a navel, and I suspect you do too. That is only tattoo that I have, which is nature’s, so I am proud of it. Does that help?

2. On the other-hand-side, Aurora Police and Aurora Fire Fighter Unions endorsed the candidate against a union member candidate – PK Kaiser

   1. Are you saying that either Debi Hunter-Holen or Angela Lawson is a union member?

      1. No. if you notice it was PK Kaiser who wrote of himself being not endorsed. I met PK couple years ago, when he sat at same table with me and family at a political meeting. Very impressive, and I felt he had best interests of Aurora in mind that night. I voted for him then, and feel he would be a valid member. Have not met Debi or Angela, but I do know Bob LeGare over many years. Just as I have known most of those on council now, and in recent years. Know I would not put in the hours they do, or put up with some of the stuff coming out of the negativity of todays non-civil younger folks. Okay to PC, but not to be so negative or uncivil. Throw around words recklessly that would get them punched out if spoken in presence, or shot in some places. That has happened too. And may soon be more prevalent than in the years of the cowboys.

3. Well the union and this article just made my voting decision easier. LeGare will get my vote. You don’t need cops holding down desk jobs and taking statements. You can get the cheaper labor to do that while letting the officers do what they’re hired to do – protect the streets.

   1. Mr Rich, unfotunately the only officers “taking statements” are those who are injured. Aurora PD does not use uniformed officers for desk jobs. St Louis and Buffalo have the same population as Aurora and have more than TWICE the manpower. Please research before making your decisions on who you will vote for. Also ask Mr . Lagare where the collected taxes went for the 2 per thousand since 1993 since the City was never in compliance.

4. Disagree with you all. Legare needs to go.

   1. Here we go again. Another career politician. Stand your ground Balderston and Wesner! We all know Aurora is using outdated census numbers. Do voters really believe firefighters would ask for 5 stations, 200 firefighters and several pieces of equipment if it wasn’t needed?
      What is it with this council? Police and Fire continually get the short end of the stick. “Do more with less”. Patrol barely has time to breathe between calls these days.
      More people equals more calls and Aurora is a sanctuary city. Council can deny it all they want but, Aurora it is what it is.

5. I like the police and fire depts. but for the simplest of things they over do it…..they block the road in all directions, have multiple fire trucks and police cars and we are talking ” Simple/mild” accidents AND THEN they take hours and hours. the guy might have a point. I seen yesterday 2 fire trucks, 3 police cars and a ambulance for a mild accident…no one was hurt.

   1. Yeah, well they typically don’t know that “no one was hurt” until there is a unit on scene. There might be other factors for additional help, as well. Sometimes, the extra rigs are there to block traffic for the safety of the responders. Those big trucks can be hard to see, and with all the idiot drivers that have to rubberneck because they have never seen an accident before…….

   2. And if they don’t do everything possible, every time, the one time they needed it and didn’t have it, they’d be sued.

      1. So what? Anyone can be sued, or had you not noticed. You don’t think those lawyers don’t drum up business, and keep it going. In lawsuit, both sides attorneys get paid, big, and bigger. Anyone who goes to lawyer is asking to get problems. Wife and I learned that the hard way when we sued tenant for rent not paid. We won, but cost us more than if we had just absorbed the loss.

         And that is not the reason firemen and police do that. It is the policy because of different unions, and specialized tasks, where operator turns off machine for some reason, then electrician has to be called to switch it back on. That was my experience at Samsonite, after I retired from military, and union decreed my job only worth $7.00 then upped to $8.00 an hour, when Denver Post was advertising for journeymen electricians at $25.00 and hour, and $35.00 if they supervised someone. With all 3 children married, self supporting then, and retired, I gave notice. Denver was taking head tax, Aurora and Denver both taking tax money, Colorado income tax, and Federal income tax, and over half my pay was going to taxes (Romer was governor). Couple years later, my Air Force Pension was no longer taxable by state, since Colorado State Retirees were not taxed until pay was above $20,000. Now $24,000 but Romer did not let go of that until 2 years after Kansas lost in Federal court for same practice.
         So I lived in the world before you, through your years, and I am still very much in touch and contact with what is happening now. Thank you for being concerned.

      2. YEP……………

6. I see politics and union involved with this smear job on Bob LeGare. Bought home in 1963, watched city grow, even while away in military service, returning after retiring. Salaries are higher with benefits now, and communications are very much improved with computers in police and fire vehicles, using GPS. Even ambulance drivers should not get lost on way to destinations anymore, as they did in carrying my deceased granddaughter to hospital in 2004. Son had to go find them.
   I have known Bob LeGare over the many years on council, and he has been citizen-city oriented, for best efficiency, and especially considering cost-spending. So this is red herring for new comers who have not known him or his past record on council. Police and Firemen don’t seem to have long delays in getting where needed now, and I also question the idea of having a trained, experienced officer, WITH ARRESTING POWERS, sitting on a desk doing paperwork. Most of that is done now on computers, and can be done to supervise in the cars, overseeing what the officers are doing, or how they interact with the citizens. I was not impressed with prior police actions, when young, white female officer, asked 3 children in my presence about family who had moved recently, and question arose of them. Little black child said, you mean the black family, and she said “The African-American family. Those three children (kindergarten or 1st grade) did not know what that was, AND IT DID NOT GIVE THAT OFFICER ANY HELP. THAT WAS STUPIDITY ON HER PART. Before that, she had been present with my black friends had a verbal dispute, and that officer lied to the other officers of what I had seen or not seen. Thank God, I have not seen her on the force since, so hopefully she found a new occupation where she cannot hurt people.
   Now back off my rant: I do not see need presently to add more officers, unless 3,000 acres east are developed, and need more services. We don’t need the salaries, buildings, and benefits, with the powers they have now over our leadership.
   ————- And that is what this is, Folks.
   ————- Those folks out east, moved out of city, to unincorporated Arapahoe County to avoid taxes as we built up inner city, that brought all this additional population, who brought their social, coastal bad habits with them, and now out vote the old timers who developed and supported this city, as it grew. Those new folks have brought their bad habits of out-spending their income, and think we retirees now, can afford that too. ALSO I WOULD COMMENT OF THE ANTI-FRACKING LADY COMMENTER. FRACKING IS A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE, AND I SERVED 26 YEARS FOR FREEDOM. DEVELOP OUR OWN ASSETS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND QUIT SENDING OUR MILITARY TO EASTERN COUNTRIES, TO SEND OUR OIL-GAS FUNDS THERE, TO BE USED TO KILL AND INJURE OUR MILITARY. Fracking is not that dangerous, or health problem, as proven by all the thousands of wells, without ever contaminating water tables. Has been some problems on surface waters when workers get careless or have leakage. But we have more problems from those home-mechanics who pour their used motor oil in the drains, to go to the rivers. Or bury in back yards, or use fertilizers that wash into the rivers. Moving here and buying a house, does not give you ownership of the minerals and fluids under the surface, more than 25-50 feet at most. Clay soil here does restrict most of that to top 12 inches or so. IF THEY DO NEED THOSE SERVICES, THEN MAKE THAT A SPECIAL DISTRICT, AND LET THE NEW AREA PAY THE FREIGHT. Just as we did in taxing for the E-470 route, and Romer kicked in additional fee of $10.00 to our auto tax renewal for all these years.
   This I know from owning in Colorado since 1963, and having lived here in between, marrying in Denver in 1952 at York Street Church.
   Wife born on 32d and Elizabeth streets, 1935 where Martin Luther King Boulevard splits between, toward downtown Denver.

   1. Ambulance drivers? Really? We’re EMTs and Paramedics with a lot of schooling. Please be respectful and address us by using our job titles…not ambulance drivers!

      1. Not in the one that carried my 9 year old, dead granddaughter from house to hospital. They got lost, and my son (the father) had to go find them and let them follow him to hospital. She was dead at the house, but taken to hospital so a doctor would declare her death. This was in 2004 (23 Aug) day before my wife’s and my anniversary (now married 63 years), If the Emt and paramedics were still in the ambulance, I doubt they were the driver, though she was dead. Then they were charged $500 for the doctors signature, and another $500 for what ever the folks at hospital did, then the bill came in from all over, from doctors who did tests on samples.
         So when something like this happens, and those expenses pile up and keep coming from facilities we never heard of, show us some respect, and I may respect what you say.
         We could have called a limousine company, and had her driven there more economical than that, they would not have got lost, and I still have bitter feelings about that.
         Son’s job with good benefits and healthcare for family, had been out sourced due to our dam tax code, and during the 90 day period in new job, at less salary and benefits, his healthcare cost for insurance would have been $1200 a month for 4, with 2 having pre-existing conditions. That was close to salary during that period. To make it more binding, his original company found the contracting company could not meet requirements for warranty work of clients, and canceled contract at end of year, and he was recalled to that with full benefits.
         So I don’t play the division games. At 86, I have seen too many changes, and I realize all the specialization now, especially in medical fields, so higher fees can be charged, and we don’t know who to yell at. AT THIS TIME OF MY LIFE, I HAVE LESS POWER THAN I HAVE EVER HAD, AND IT IS NOT LOOKING BETTER IN FUTURE.
         ——–
         Even as a baby, I could yell, cry, and someone would come feed me, change my diaper, make me comfortable, and after I got through basic training in military, my life kept getting better and better, with challenges, which I learned to handle and thrived at. Working at much higher levels than my education or experience, and moving higher.
         ——–Now I have non medical people making decisions about my health, my care, what prescriptions I can have, or not have, depending on cost. And I have medical people doing the same thing. So John, you may be specialized now, and with power, but the day will come for you, as for me, when you will not have that power, or that respect. You just become an old geezer, who has not kept up with the modern, 21st century. HELLO!!!!!
         I try to not need to ride in an ambulance, just as I never rode in a police car in 86 years either, or been arrested, or in jail (except to visit and tour Aurora jail, before it went into use, when new. Was there with Paul and Kate Tauer and bunch of other seniors at the time.

      2. Went back and read my full rant. And I can see where union folks would be unhappy with my voting. But my experience as neighborhood watch, also taught me something: In earlier years, we had problems with high school kids on lunch breaks, or skipping school to break into houses in my area. And they had tendency to have conflicts between the high schools. When I saw suspicious folks, at night, of young folks not known, and I called police, I was told someone would come, but no officers were available. And when mentioned glint of metal reflecting light, I would have 2,3,or more cars with police in quick time. When I questioned officer at our neighborhood meeting, he immediately said “you mean you lied”? I said no, I thought I saw, or I did see what I said. That did not sit well with other seniors at the meeting in Aurora library that night, and they also had questions of that officer.
         So they played a game with us, with ‘no officer available’.
         In my civilian working life, I have worked with 4 major unions, none that did anything for me, except take my dues. They also depressed my wages from what I could have received without them (coal mine in 1947-48, Food Handlers 48-49-into 50. Rubbers workers after retiring at Samsonite, holding my wage at $7.00 an hour, but I was working 7 days a week, 10-12-14 hours per day, due to needing more electricians. That was union scale in 1978. Denver was paying Journeyman Electricians $25.00 an hour, and $35.00 hourly, if they supervised others. I was considered Journeyman, and I possessed skills the others did not have, from my military service working with high voltage and current on Aircraft Systems.
         So I am not in love with unions. They were needed in early years to get the male children out of dangerous jobs, and the mines. And get the females out of sweat shops. With both males and females to stay in school through 12 years and get some education. College was not a requirement in 1940s, 50, but were helpful.
         And I learned that if anyone needed a union, they needed to look at themselves and gain more experience, education, and learn to sell themselves higher. I never needed a union to protect me, since they were not protecting me anyway.
         We need to do away with that 2.0 officers per 1,000 residents. Only have enough officers to do the job, and also remove civil service from city, county, state, federal jobs. Hire the officers or others needed to do the job, as proven by need, not arbitrary numbers. My experience with unions is less work, for more pay, with the union leaders getting rich.
         My last mission in Air Force before retirement was to go to Omaha, NE as 1 of 3, to sit with communicators and others (total about 70-80, to design satellite terminal for Offutt AFB, NE. At Corp of Engineers, we worked for week around very large table, to design within $800,000 limit, with $400,000 taken away from us, so the Bid to Contractor, could allow that Contractor to pay UNION SCALE for the constructions workers, though Nebraska was not a union required state. We had to down size needs, to be funded later, and added in future budgets, higher cost to tax payers, so the workers would receive union scale, and they would be coming from other states to work.

         1. GET OFF MY LAWN! You sound like a bitter old man.

            1. Typical reply by union types. What grade will you be next year, if your father is not in that grade now?

   2. Hummmmm. Good luck with the next mass shooting, natural disaster or more than 1 fire in the entire city at the same time.

      1. Why? They have handled a lot of that over the years. Since all the emigrants moved here, we hear sirens all the time, and not just ambulances or fire trucks. We used to have quiet, sociable evenings, and even blocked off streets to have block parties.
         But now with the pot being legal and illegal, mixed with meth, alcohol, and all the other stuff at night, it is strange on some nights not to hear sirens.
         If all you who seem to need police, firemen, and ambulances would move back to where you came from, we could have quiet evenings out in our yards again, and be neighbors. Just a thought.

         1. Oh, snap! Forbes is telling MORE people that this is the place to live. If you want to live in a stagnant state, you’re in the wrong place.

            Denver ranks No. 1 for the first time, moving up from a fourth place finish in 2014. The Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metro area, home to 2.8 million people, is attractive for its diverse economy, highly educated labor force and outdoor recreational opportunities. Companies are increasingly choosing Denver as the site for new operations or to relocate.

            https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2015/07/29/denver-leads-the-2015-best-places-for-business-and-careers/

            1. Somehow I don’t ever remember considering Forbes in all my years in renting, moving, visiting, buying, selling, and working. Only after I retired, and wanted to read fiction, along with staying in touch with reality. After all, you have to remember -consider who is cooking the books. And by reading the opinion sections and letters to the editor, across this country, you find the same glowing, tourist producing propaganda everywhere else. I have traveled and enjoyed 44 of the 50 states, so have a more personal view of some areas, or others. But that is me, and you are you.

      2. Oh. By the way, most of the mass shootings and trouble in past was folks who came here from other states, and were from Democrat families or were Democrats themselves. Are you suggesting we pass a law that no more Democrats can move here?

         1. Wow…are you serious? You’re blaming this on political affiliation? Grow up.

   3. Wow Frankie. You must not get to talk to real people very often. You do realize that no one read your whole comment.. don’t you? Make a quick point, don’t write 6 pages of built up frustration. Like so: “More cops and more firemen. Thanks for your service to our sometimes ungrateful community.”

      1. Sorry if that taxed your reading time. Others over years have commented, and I get more comments, than on this website. I still contact classmates who graduated with me in 1947, from small high school in Ohio. And these comments appear on those other sites. So I am not just writing to new emigrants to Colorado, but to relatives, friends elsewhere. That is the beauty of internet, even though Al Gore did not invent it.
         I helped to perfect it in 1970 to 1976, as a pioneer, military on proving that Computers, communications, Satellites, and the system would be faster, more efficient, and improve education. Civilian communications soon followed the military.
         Unfortunately the citizens band people, and others who used to write with chalk on sidewalks, later on fences, found it too. And then businesses turned it into tweeting, to fit pocket phones, and we now have tweety birds on here. Same ones who destroyed citizens band radio.
         So choice is up to you. I do not hold gun to your head and force you to read anything. You don’t even have to learn new words, if you want to stick to 140 digits. So have a good day, and pass your negativity onto someone who tweets.

7. Way to go, Member LeGare! I appreciate your leadership. 2 days ago, I called 911 to get some help for a drunk who passed out on Peoria St. Engine 11 arrived – what a waste of taxpayer $$$ to have that rig respond to medical and such calls. Get the paramedics into the ambulances where they belong, and get firefighters back to fighting fires. J. Dougherty – Ward 4

   1. Oh goody, another “expert” on operations

   2. I agree, on most calls you do not need a full fire engine/truck response with 4 firefighters and two additional personnel from an Ambulance. However, when the call is critical, in which cases most critical calls are dispatched as simple falls or drunk “man down” calls, you need a six person response. Next time Engine 11 responds to a family member of yours possibly having a cardiac issue, stroke, or cardiac arrest, I guarantee you are going to want those four individuals plus the ambulance response. Each member on the apparatus has a critical role when it comes to saving a life, and statistics show we have better outcomes with a full response.

   3. What kind of moron calls 911 for a drunk. Look who wasted the taxpayers $$!! Help him yourself buddy!

      1. Abel, I was the kind of moron who called 911 when the drunk awakened and kept stumbling into Peoria heavy traffic and neither I at 67 yrs nor the elderly lady who also stopped could keep him out of the street since he was a 20-something very strong, but drunk, individual. Thanks for your comment; it was uninformed. J. Dougherty

         1. Well good thing there were 4 firemen EMTs and 2 ambulance EMTs! Since you 2 couldn’t help him, how do you expect just two EMTs to?! What if he got violent? What if he was armed? You NEED manpower on those scenes! And you can’t predict what type of 911 call it is.

   4. Why don’t you use your do-gooder powers to invent a future predictor – that way you’ll know just how many firemen or EMTs you need for the next 911 call. I bet you posted your act of bravery all over Facebook and told everyone that you got to call 911 at your lame desk job.
      –Ward Whocares

   5. J Dougherty. As a condition of keeping their job, Aurora FFs are required to go to paramedic school. The paramedics and FF you refer to above are the same people.

   6. Sometimes a “drunk passed out” is a person having a heart attack or a person struck by a vehicle. If we don’t send a full compliment on every call, we may not have enough to provide a level of service you expect when we’re at your doorstep. Aurora Firefighters provide the best service to every customer, not just those you may consider “most worthy”.

8. maybe it’s time for bob legare to move on and let someone else serve on council. why do council members feel they MUST continue to serve for years and years? it gets tedious to continue to hear same things from same members of council.

9. Why not twenty more fire stations, 3,000 more police officers-a police officer on every corner, and 75 more fire-trucks with six men per truck? Public safety YES, but Thank God, Council looks after the citizens wallet rather than the self-serving unions!!!!!!!!

   1. Such sarcastic remarks serve as proof you are unwilling, perhaps unable, to understand the real issue. The is a difference between “doing more with less” and “doing more and more and more and more and more… with less” A career of serving others combined with chronic sleep deprivation and exposure to volitile and hazardous conditions takes a toll. We signed up for it, but LeGare and voters like you (tapped out) are only making matters worse. Keep rolling the dice.

10. Bob LeGare is exactly the kind of person we need representing us on Council. He studies the issues, he’s painstakingly fair and he’s above all ethical. His years on Council are a plus for taxpayers, not a detriment.
    I’m not at all familiar with the arguments about the resources we need to keep Aurorans sufficiently safe, but I know Councilman LeGare lives and breathes Aurora and I have no doubt that Bob LeGare will vote with the community’s best interests at heart.

    1. Reading my rants above, you will see I agree with Bob LeGare, and he has my vote. I live in Ward 1, so have to decide on Member at Large yet, but ballot will be voted in next couple days. Had different priority when it arrived. Union comments leave me cold, since I had experience at 18 of working with 40 year old man who bragged of killing fellow coalminer in Kentucky, and beating the rap, by jumping border to Ohio, while on bond. Military service took me out of that career path during Korea.

       1. So you worked with a murderer and now compare all Union members to him? You are one strange bird.

          1. Oh, now I see it. I picked a scab on a union organizer. NO. I worked in 4 major unions in my lifetime, 2 before military service and 2 after, because the state and employer required it. How else could employers get the sweetheart agreements if they did not have unions.
             My very first one was in coal mine in Leesville, Ohio. I made grand total of $13.85 for 8 hours shift, as electrician wire-hanger in the coalmine with 44 inches of coal seam. Helper on crew for first few months , when Jim Hogeson, my boss assigned me to section of mine (18 years of age) to hang wire and supervise my 3 helpers (all in 40s???). But I had mine sense, could see and hear danger, before them, and protect them too.
             That year John L. Lewis took miners out on strike for higher pay. And got it. $1.00 a day -8 hour shift, portal to portal. (for non-mine deficient that means from time you check In on time clock at entrance to slope mine, to time you check out, leaving.).
             Coal was selling for $4.00 a ton, as from the mine. I immediately lost one helper, meaning now 3 of us did work, where we had 4 before. Coal went to $7.35 a ton. BECAUSE THE MINERS GOT A BIG RAISE.
             That was where I worked with the murderer, and the union boss who tried to kill another miner with a cue stick in local beer joint. Sheriff said “union business” and no charges. That miner was crippled for life, but lived. Wife had to support him and children rest of his life. And that was where we had real danger. Smell the gas, and hear it seeping out of mine walls, sounded like very angry, large hornets nest. And that is where my father was frog-marched out of union hall, BECAUSE HE HAD NERVE ENOUGH TO STAND AND ASK TO HAVE A COMMENT READ, THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO VOTE ON. None of us had seen it, read it, or heard of it, before. DAD WAS BLACK BALLED BY UNION FOR 99 YEARS BY THAT UNION. At 18, that made real impression on me, as HS graduate in1947. This was in 1948-49.
             Okay, get the picture now. Unions are not all sweet, smooth, or working for the worker. But go ahead an unionize if you need that protection, with todays laws, and our constitution. Pay extortion. At 86, I say you have the right to do that. But don’t sell others on that bit. Neither one of my sons will ever work in union again. Both have, and both make more, with more benefits than union pays. And you get to support folks like Pelosi, Reid, Obama, and the other cabinet folks who do so much for you.

          2. In your litnany (list) you have some very pertinent falsehoods, so you need to give that some attention. Most of your listing also is set by employers, states, and federal laws. Reason that unions are having problems in keeping members, when the state breaks them free.

             I would not brag about union public education either. Common Core, unions, and civil service have all created problems, to dumb down our young to slowest student in the class. I taught in military, and was at W-PAFB, when civil service unionized. They tried to do same with military, and we said NO WAY. THAT WAS ONE BIG REASON I STAYED IN MILITARY FOR 26 YEARS, SO I DID NOT HAVE TO GO BACK TO OHIO AND BE IN UNION STATE AGAIN. MY EMPLOYER EVEN HAD JOB FOR ME, WORKING 90 DAYS WITH MY STORE MANAGER IN OHIO, THEN MANAGE A STORE IN INDIANA.

11. Amazing how many Bob Legare supporters “materialized” out of the blue and have no knowledge of his stances on public safety and his voting issues. I’m guessing the “Support Legare” mailing list is being used hot and heavy to get his friends and fans to respond. It’s also amazing that citizens have no idea where the money comes from to pay police and fire….
    Where are these fliers that the Sentinel is talking about? Oh wait, they’re in the Sentinel who had no problem taking money from both the Fire and Police associations to contribute to the slander they mention in the article.

    1. I agree, the Legare supporters seem like they are copying and pasting from somewhere…

12. I agree with cammy38 and Fed Up. I’ve been researching the candidates and it seems like Aurora will benefit from some new energy on the council. From what I can tell it seems like Angela Lawson works well with fire dept…

13. Ya know, Aurora isn’t what it used to be, but I still enjoy working here. It appears that the below comments all have some validity. There was a time when we would all just sit down over a cup of coffee and resolve the issues without puking it up all over the media. There is a high ground and a middle road. Can we take it?

14. Bob LeGare used to be a board member of AMR while serving as a city council member. AMR was the ambulance company before Rural Metro replaced them. Bob was a huge supporter of fire until he allowed a conflict of interest to cloud his judgement. Since AMR lost the contract he has been against AFD while distorting the actual numbers the department asks for, trying to make it look like APD and AFD ask for an unreasonable amount of resources, does that sound like what a politician would say or do? How many firefighter or police politicians do you ever hear about? How many politicians do you hear about helping people?

    -Voter

    1. I don’t know what that was, but I seem to remember at that time, there was a $75.00 charge for such calls within the city, and insurance or city contract covered rest. We don’t have that now, and the charges have become atrocious. So you need to explain what that “conflict of interest was?” Bob has always been approachable, and would discuss issues, and was clear about them.

       My bone of contention was in 1964, when I got speeding ticket at intersection of Toledo and 6th Avenue. Which was impossible, since the railroad track blocked any connection. I was driving west on 6th to teach at Lowry AFB, which was 2 lane, with parallel RR tracks, and 35 mph. 6AM in morning, and officers wrote I was doing 37 mph. Pretty Tacky, Right? But military did not get any empathy in those days, even though I was property owner too. We were treated as transients. Aurora folks then liked our spending, but preferred we be somewhere else. That was that officer in a bad mood.

15. You’ll be thankful you have more fire stations and firefighters/medics when it’s YOUR emergency. Good luck with a natural disaster or shooting with the bare minimum staffing!

    1. Have lived here without that from 1977 when I moved back to my home after retiring. And did not have any such problems in 1963-1965, but cannot vouch for my tenants in between. But with some of the non-assistance in past years when I was neighborhood watch person for few blocks around me, because folks like you would not step forth, and provide that for your blocks. Somehow police never had officer available, unless I “thought” I saw a weapon. Strange how that works? Have done okay for 86 years of looking out for myself, and when I needed a policeman, there was not one within less than 5 miles or more. Showed weapon then, and in all 4 occasions, bad guys went somewhere else. Hope they went to your house.

16. As a current Aurora Firefighter for many years, I can say the City of Aurora is rolling the dice with protecting it’s citizens by keeping staffing levels so low and stations so few! It needs to be stated the the spouses and children of Aurora Firefighters are paying a steep price as well. LeGare wants to chew us up and spit us out, leaving us sleep deprived and worn out for our families that need us as well. Something has to change. We can’t allow LeGare to keep putting band aids on everything, we need real solutions, real stations, real firefighters.

17. Can SOMEBODY please ban Frank2525?!?! I know that he is the ONLY person who likes his posts. Such an old man who likes to spew about his own personal life, believing it’s relevant to the topic. FIX YOUR CAPS LOCK. IT MUST TURN ON FOR BRief momentS THEN KIck baCK OFf. Oh, or were you just trying to YELL in the commeNT SECTioN?

    I’m ready for your 14 page dissertation in response (reply) to my comment, F2525. Tell me about your business, your dead cat, your thieving days, that one wig you tried on, the 60s, etc, etc, etc. This one time at band camp…

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