More Fire Department Mismanagement

It turns out that the Fire Department and the County have been extrememly lax in enforcing the requirement that recruits work in the County for at least 5 years after their training, or pay the County back. The training costs between $4,500 to $10,000 per recruit. Of the 80 former fightfighters who were trained, and have left, since 2002, only 7 have been billed, and only 2 have paid back any of the money. At this point, the County Auditor estimates that the County has lost between $325,000 and $730,000 in squandered training money.

The next administration and Fire Chief are going to have their hands full figuring out just how to clean up the mismanagement of the Fire Department under the Owens' administration.