Lucas Daprile, Olivia Mitchell
cleveland.com
(TNS)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – East Cleveland, mired in money woes for years, hit a new financial low when a gofundme account surfaced to raise funds for a new fire truck.

The account seeks $1.5 million for the vehicle. It netted $60 total from four people as of Wednesday, when the account has since stopped collecting money.

The account highlights the latest financial issues of East Cleveland, one of the state’s poorest cities that recently asked Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to provide state troopers to patrol streets to help a depleted police force.

The city needs the truck, but officials said they do not know who set up the account, as it was not allowed by the city’s administration.

City Council had invested the money for the truck, but the purchase has not been made.

The gofundme account indicates that it was organized by the firefighters’ union, the International Association of Firefighters, Local 500. East Cleveland Fire Chief David Worley told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer in a text message the fundraiser was not approved by the mayor, himself or the fire union.

Worley said he thinks it was an employee who was looking to raise money for the department but didn’t get approval.

The listing highlights the city’s struggle to keep its fire engines in working order. The listing describes the fire engine as “beyond repair,” as it leaks oil and water “faster than we could even fill it up.”

The truck mentioned in the fundraiser was a reserve truck that was taken out of service last week, Worley said.

In 2022, East Cleveland set aside nearly $1 million to purchase a new firetruck and a new ambulance. However, that money is gone.

“Since our city officials have failed to make the payment, they not only put our lives at risk but the citizens of the community,” the gofundme post says.

In June, East Cleveland Law Director Willa Hemmons took responsibility for the lost money, saying it was instead spent on a $1.6 million settlement with the city’s firefighters over overtime pay following a lawsuit, according to WOIO Channel 19.

Patricia Blochowiak, an at-large councilwoman in East Cleveland, blamed Mayor Brandon King. The councilwoman said the money meant for the firetruck was supposed to be housed in a special account, but it was instead deposited in the general fund, where it was spent.

“The mayor is known for spending money that hasn’t been appropriated,” Blochowiak said.

Blochowiak doubts East Cleveland has the money to purchase the firetruck, but it is hard to say because she said City Hall refuses to provide Council members with up-to-date financial information.

“We don’t know for sure if the city has the money,” Blochowiak said.

King confirmed to cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that the fundraiser was not approved by the city.

He said he intends “to provide every department with adequate resources, equipment, personnel, so that they can safely and effectively do their jobs,” King said.

However, “There are a number of steps needed to be taken, both from the administration and…from the legislative perspective, to get that truck,” King said.

Mariah Crenshaw, a critic of East Cleveland’s administration, said it is “unacceptable” that the city is still unable to pay for a new firetruck when Council already set aside money for its purchase.

“The question is where is the money? And

Lucas Daprile, Olivia Mitchell
cleveland.com
(TNS)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – East Cleveland, mired in money woes for years, hit a new financial low when a gofundme account surfaced to raise funds for a new fire truck.

The account seeks $1.5 million for the vehicle. It netted $60 total from four people as of Wednesday, when the account has since stopped collecting money.

The account highlights the latest financial issues of East Cleveland, one of the state’s poorest cities that recently asked Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to provide state troopers to patrol streets to help a depleted police force.

The city needs the truck, but officials said they do not know who set up the account, as it was not allowed by the city’s administration.

City Council had invested the money for the truck, but the purchase has not been made.

The gofundme account indicates that it was organized by the firefighters’ union, the International Association of Firefighters, Local 500. East Cleveland Fire Chief David Worley told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer in a text message the fundraiser was not approved by the mayor, himself or the fire union.

Worley said he thinks it was an employee who was looking to raise money for the department but didn’t get approval.

The listing highlights the city’s struggle to keep its fire engines in working order. The listing describes the fire engine as “beyond repair,” as it leaks oil and water “faster than we could even fill it up.”

The truck mentioned in the fundraiser was a reserve truck that was taken out of service last week, Worley said.

In 2022, East Cleveland set aside nearly $1 million to purchase a new firetruck and a new ambulance. However, that money is gone.

“Since our city officials have failed to make the payment, they not only put our lives at risk but the citizens of the community,” the gofundme post says.

In June, East Cleveland Law Director Willa Hemmons took responsibility for the lost money, saying it was instead spent on a $1.6 million settlement with the city’s firefighters over overtime pay following a lawsuit, according to WOIO Channel 19.

Patricia Blochowiak, an at-large councilwoman in East Cleveland, blamed Mayor Brandon King. The councilwoman said the money meant for the firetruck was supposed to be housed in a special account, but it was instead deposited in the general fund, where it was spent.

“The mayor is known for spending money that hasn’t been appropriated,” Blochowiak said.

Blochowiak doubts East Cleveland has the money to purchase the firetruck, but it is hard to say because she said City Hall refuses to provide Council members with up-to-date financial information.

“We don’t know for sure if the city has the money,” Blochowiak said.

King confirmed to cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that the fundraiser was not approved by the city.

He said he intends “to provide every department with adequate resources, equipment, personnel, so that they can safely and effectively do their jobs,” King said.

However, “There are a number of steps needed to be taken, both from the administration and…from the legislative perspective, to get that truck,” King said.

Mariah Crenshaw, a critic of East Cleveland’s administration, said it is “unacceptable” that the city is still unable to pay for a new firetruck when Council already set aside money for its purchase.

“The question is where is the money? And

Bill Rethlake
Greensburg Daily News, Ind.
(TNS)

Sep. 17—GREENSBURG — The City of Greensburg hosted two ribbon cutting ceremonies Saturday on N. Broadway Street during an open house at the new homes of both the Greensburg Street Department and Greensburg Fire Department.

Attendees had the opportunity to tour each facility at length before and after ceremonies at 11 a.m. for the Street Department and at 11:45 a.m. for the fire station.

Mayor Joshua Marsh began the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Street Department by saying, “This is a safe work environment, which is a keystone of this entire facility and the largest investment in this department ever made. This team is vital to the operations of our city and I’m proud of the investment the community has made in them.”

For each of the ceremonies, representatives from the various companies involved in the build — Veridus, DLZ, Meyer Najem, and Runnebohm Construction — all spoke briefly, lending their congratulations to fellow team members and the community.

The public was allowed to freely inspect the repair and storage facilities in back, as well the entire front building which includes office, conference and employee amenities that weren’t available at the previous location, which first came into being in the 1950s.

Before the “ribbon cutting” ceremony at Fire Station No. 1, in which the build team offered speeches with similar congratulations and corporate camaraderies, GFD Chief Nate Stoermer conducted a special presentation to Veridus group’s project manager John Bryant, awarding him with a firefighter duty hat and a plaque of memorandum.

A presentation of the flag that flew over the old station on 911 was made to the family of the fire station’s namesake, Larry D. Filler.

For the actual ribbon cutting, Stoermer conducted an uncoupling ceremony involving the build team lined up on either side, holding onto a set of fire hoses, and uncoupling them to symbolize the finish of a project.

“The work is done, the station is now open,” he said.

Contact Bill Rethlake at 812-651-0876 or email bill.rethlake@greensburgdailynews.com

___

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One of the last of the Dearborn Heights Firefighters‘ “Dragon Slayers” has found a new home in northern Michigan, the department said in a Facebook post recently.

The 1994 Pierce pumper – nicknamed by the late Chief Jim Langlois – was recently decommissioned by the department.

On Thursday, the truck was donated to the Tri-Town FIRE Department, which serves parts of three townships near Mio in Oscoda County. Chief Dave Brogan handed over the keys to TTFD Chief Kevin Marino and Capt. Brian Sukarukoff.

“Sad to see the ‘Dragon Slayer’ go but happy we found it found a good home,” Dearborn Heights Firefighters posted.

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