ESD6 (Part 4): Mr. Farinacci Pleads with the Media to cover the ESD6 activities

A heart warming expression of what the members of the South Bexar County community is experiencing. Mr. Farinacci is just one of many who have expressed the same fears and most of all; wonderment at the fact that the media has not covered in detail the endangerment to the community brought on at the hands of the Emergency Service District #6. Especially the fact that even after all that they have done, the County Commissioner's have continued to let them run car-blanch.

Members of the media community;

Last week, southern Bexar County suffered a tragic death when an elderly man was fatally injured in his residence when his house caught on fire. As the news reports stated, when the fire departments arrived on scene, the home was fully involved in flames and there was nothing that could be done at that point to attempt to save the mans life. You all covered the story, so you know what happened. Now there are details that you may not be aware that you should know, as well as the mans family WILL soon know as well.

The fire departments that responded to the house fire are the three departments that are funded by the Bexar County Emergency Services district #6. The same ESD that has made many headlines for shutting down two of the three departments over night and leaving the community and the school district with no fire protection for three days on the night of October 31^st 2010. As you may not be aware many issues have taken place since then and much information has been uncovered regarding the actions of this ESD, in particular the actions taken by their president Sylvia Mendelhson and their attorney Lou Rosemberg. To make a long story short, these individuals have wasted thousands of tax payers dollars for the purpose of the construction of a community center, which is not what the taxpayers dollars collected by the ESD are supposed to be used for. Over a $100,000 have been spent on this. The worse thing of it all, is that knowingly that this is not the legal purpose of this money, their attorney, which is the largest receiver of the funds, spend countless of hours looking for ways to make this actions “”acceptable””

Due to the fact that so much money has been MISUTILIZED, the funding for the departments now has been cut immensely to the point that night shift paid personnel had to be eliminated due to lack of funds. And it was at night time that this fire broke out, taking the life of an elderly man. We will never know if this man’s life could have been saved had there been paid staff at the stations that night, but it sure makes me wonder. Due to the wasteful use of money by the esd, the departments have not been able to expand their infrastructure, adding more stations, maintaining paid staff day and night, adding more vehicles, to minimize response times that will save lives.

Whats even worse is that after all the issues that have happened with this esd commissioners late last year, all the lawsuits, all the evidence that has been found showing misconduct on behalf of these individuals, Sergio Rodriguez and the members of commissioners court REAPPOINTED THOSE SAME INDIVIDUALS TO TWO MORE YEARS. This action clearly shows lack of commitment by Sergio Rodriguez, careless attitude, and lack of desire to keep the southern part of Bexar County safe. My question to all is. HOW MANY MORE LIVES WILL WE HAVE TO LOOSE BEFORE SOMEONE STEPS IN TO STOP ALL THIS MADNESS?????

Media members, there are lots of events taking place regarding this ESD in south Bexar county that we need to inform the community about. I trust that you will take the time to inform the community. If you have any questions and would like more information feel free to contact me via email.

Jose Farinacci

Concerned community member

The ESD6's, Ms. Sylvia Ruiz Mendelsohn who singly made the decision to keep South Bexar Fire & Rescue open over the AtaBexar County Line and Sandy Oaks VFD's in October  has had a change of heart? Until recently, Ms. Mendelsohn had continued to tell the media and the community that South Bexar Fire & Rescue were the only fire department in compliance. Recently, the support "seems" to have wained.

Ms. Mendelsohn made it clear according to information from  the last two board meetings that they were not and have not been in compliance. Ms. Mendelsohn also cut their funding in December as well, according to the South Bexar Fire & Rescue board member, using the court figures for the other departments as a guide, now having three departments with substandard funding.

According to the actions of the members of South Bexar Fire & Rescue, the reality is that while they complain about being in the same predicament as the Atax Bexar and the Sandy Oaks VFD's, records indicate differently. Special favors and payments have continued to be afforded to the South Bexar Fire & Rescue.

At the last board meeting, Ms. Mendelsohn was overheard talking to Mr. Wood, another board commissioner, where she told him there was no way the ESD 6 could afford to fund three departments and that the people of the community are never gonna be satisfied, no matter what they do.

What Ms. Mendelsohn forgets, is that historically, the ESD6 "did" have enough funding and ran well; supplying the needs to all three fire departments for almost 5 years. That is until she came along and took control of the board. This leads to other questions.

• Why did it run so efficiently before Ms. Mendelsohn's rein on the board?
• What policy changes did she make that created the shortness of funds?
• If she is saying that the ESD6 does not have enough funding to run 3 fire departments, then how is she justifying building a fourth one?
  

County Commissioner  Rodriguez was quoted as saying "It's just not one little thing, It's about all kinds of situations, and I don't want anyone to escape, whether it be an ESD board member or a volunteer fire department."

Could these be a threat to anyone who has publicly spoken about the issues of the ESD, the board for embarrassing him or the volunteer fire departments because he still believes and supports his campaign manager?

Whatever the case may be, it is important that the media be flooded with the information available to cover this atrocity and that the community members be made aware. It may be time for a "flyer" drive in the South Bexar County community if the media doesn't pick it up.

CONGRATUALTIONS: MEDIA COVERAGE

Investigative Reporter, April Molina does an in-depth interview: Your persistence has paid off. Set up your recorders, but most of all get ready to write. Don't forget, the more interest the public shows, the more chance the media will cover it.

********* www.ksat.com ********

Ms. Molina came through. Awesome article, please make sure to go there and comment. Commissioner Rodriguez contradicts himself and Ms. Mendelsohn doesn't elaborate.

April Molina: amolina@ksat.com

website: ksat.com

fax: 210-351-1310

station: 351-1200

Mailing address: 1408 N. St. Mary's St.; San Antonio, TX 78215

1. Channel 35: KMYS; kmys@kmys.tv; news desk: 442-6397
2. Channel 4: KMOL: newsdesk@woaitv.com; 226-5665, fax: 2249898
3. Channel 4: KMOL: TroubleShooters@woaitv.com; 476-1070
4. Channel 5: KENS: newstips@kens5.com;
   
5. Channel 29: FOX: KABB: news@kabb.com; news desk- 442-6318; Grace White- gwhite@foxsanantonio.com (she's covered this story before)