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Public commenters press for transparency, firefighter pay and audits; one speaker makes vaccine-related claims
Summary
During public comment at the April 14 EMS District 2 meeting, speakers urged higher pay for first responders, a breakdown of fire department spending, and greater transparency in meeting records; one commenter alleged harms from COVID vaccines and other medical claims.
Several members of the public addressed the EMS District 2 board during public comment on April 14, raising concerns about first-responder pay, transparency of meeting records and local spending; one speaker made unverified claims about COVID-19 vaccines.
Carmen De Leon (who said she goes by "Mellow") told the board she had searched for minutes from the board's April 10 meeting and found them missing from the online record. "It seems like you guys are manipulating the media that's replayed and eliminating whatever's unpleasant," she said, adding that she believes some public comments are not being posted online. De Leon also criticized what she described as repeated spending on services for people with substance-use disorders.
Another public commenter, who signed up as Gwyn Gershige, urged raises for ambulance and fire personnel and made multiple claims about COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. The speaker cited an author and said, "Russell Blaylock says studies have shown that the injection with the COVID vaccine, a person's immune system is virtually destroyed," and later urged the board to "give them a raise." These assertions echo misinformation that has been debunked by public-health authorities; the board did not present contrary evidence during the meeting.
An online commenter, Kimberly Goheen Elbin, asked for a public accounting of fire-department funding and staffing: "We, the people, need to see the breakdown of funding to our fire departments, meaning that list all employees, their rank, and what they are paid for each year." She called for an audit and criticized what she described as rising government size and tax burdens.
Board members did not take action on the requests during the meeting. Public-comment remarks were heard near the end of the agenda; staff and board members have previously indicated they will circulate draft documents in advance of the May meeting.
