By Wendy V. Tanzer
Sedona AZ (July 22, 2012) –
Dear Editor,
During the June SFD Governing Board meeting, two members of the Board told member Craig Dible he was overstepping Board authority by independently requesting cost estimates or bids for the mid-way station. So I was quite surprised to see his discussion of the Midway Fire Station listed yet again on the July agenda. Mr. Dible’s persistence prompted some investigation and several questions.
1. Does Mr. Dible realize ANY proposals provided under these circumstances are entirely invalid? There are legally mandated “Requests for Proposal” procedures that must be conducted by the Fire District – NOT rogue members of its Board – prior to consideration of any received proposals. Did he miss that step? Or do District requirements simply not apply to him?
2. One of the two “cost estimates” Mr. Dible presented is from Seay Construction – whose letterhead indicates a business address exactly the same as that of recalled and subsequently defeated former SFD Board Chairman, David Blauert. Looking into the Contractor’s License number provided on that estimate, it revealed Dave Blauert as an “officer” of Seay Construction, Incorporated.
3. The second “cost estimate” Mr. Dible presented is from Sun Ray Homes. The “qualifying party” on this Contractor’s License AND the signatory on the bid – is one and the same: Raymond Scott. Raymond Scott is not only on record as a substantial contributor to Mr. Blauert’s failed bid for re-election to the SFD Governing Board but Mr. Scott’s business address is exactly the same as that of DHS Partners — an endeavor in which Craig Dible and Raymond Scott are in business, together!
4. Is Mr. Dible aware of Arizona statute prohibiting public officers from profiting “…during their service and for two years thereafter”? The penalty for such a violation can be as severe as a Class 5 Felony – as well as the offender being required to “…forfeit his public office if any,” or be “…forever disqualified from holding any office in the state.”
This appears to be blatant, intentional, collusion. Why would a seated SFD Governing Board member voluntarily involve himself in this kind of suspicious, potentially illegal, and certainly conspiratorial behavior? Did he think no one would notice? No one would verify the information he was so selectively spoon-feeding us? No would subsequently discover his glaring misdeeds?
Clearly, no member of the public should be complacent in believing any of the information disseminated by Mr. Dible to be fair, unbiased and/or without ulterior motive. Any credibility he might have previously enjoyed, has been destroyed – at his own hand.
Respectfully submitted,
Wendy V. Tanzer
VOC
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7 Comments
Well, here she goes again with another of her predictable personal attacks.
Normally, I don’t bother to respond to any of Wendy Tanzer’s repetitive and tiresome rants. But this time is different. I’ll explain why.
Anyone who serves on a board, commission or other governing body becomes a “public figure.” That means you’re fair game for anyone who comes along to attack, insult or defame you – and there’s really not very much you can do about it.
When I took my oath of office to be on the SFD Governing Board, I knew what I was getting into. I’ve held public office before and know how nasty it can get.
But now Mrs. Tanzer has gone too far. She has defamed two private citizens and disparaged their good names and reputations.
While assembling my Glenwood Springs Fire Station Proposal, I realized there was a critical piece of information missing: What would it cost?
I asked two friends of mine, each of whom have been in the local contracting business for over 30 years, if they would mind doing professional construction cost estimates for me. They agreed and their estimates became part of the finished report I presented to my fellow SFD board members.
True, one of the contractors rents office space in the Blauert Building and the other is a business partner of mine. But there was no “failure to disclose” this information because it’s completely irrelevant to what I had requested them to do. I just asked two friends, who knew the construction business, to help me out and they did.
Additionally, in the warped and twisted conspiracy world of Wendy Tanzer, she states this might constitute a Class 5 Felony because I stand to make a profit while in public office.
Remember that burger commercial where the elderly lady yelled, “Where’s the beef?”
Well, Mrs. Tanzer, “Where’s the profit?”
The whole accusation is just plain silly.
What’s not silly is the damage to the good names and reputations of the two contractors involved.
These people have lived here, raised their families and continue to do business in our community. Now she has smeared them and this may negatively impact their ability to attract future clients.
In the old days, her ridiculous claims would have been confined to the local paper or heard at a public meeting. But now she has posted them on the Internet.
Any potential client, searching the Internet for information on either of these contractors, will see Mrs. Tanzer’s groundless indictments pop up when their names are entered.
Nice job, Mrs. Tanzer. You must be proud.
I have four more months to serve on the SFD Governing Board. I expect I’ll be hearing more from Mrs. Tanzer during that time. That’s fine. She has a right to her opinions and we all know how much she loves sharing them.
But please, Mrs. Tanzer, at least have the class and common decency to stop attacking private citizens and defaming their good names and reputations.
Nice try, Craig. The basic problem you have is that you have used your position on the Fire Board to further your agenda, and cover for your friends ( the recalled members who appointed you). You have been deceptive, manipulative, and have never been willing to admit that you have no experience, training or education about how to deliver public safety services.
Your business and private relationships are very relevant, considering that you have tried to convince the public that you can deliver what they truly need for a cheap price. You are the one that needs to show some “class and common decency” to resign from the Fire Board. Everyone who has challenged you about your lack of knowledge, and your unethical behavior should be very proud of the service that they are doing for the residents of the Fire district.
The so called private citizens that feel that their good names and reputations are being defamed should have thought of the consequences of getting in bed with you and your actions.
You seem to have forgotten why you were appointed in the first place to the Fire Board. not for your experience or your knowledge, but your close relationship with the 3 recalled fire board members. Some may have forgotten, but many of us haven’t. Mrs Tanzer should be proud of her efforts, You, Mr.Dibble, should be ashamed. You have been caught in your web of deception. 4 months can’t come soon enough
Mr. Dible,
With regard to Mr. Blauert: He is NOT merely sharing office space with Seay Construction as you would have us believe. He is a listed “OFFICER” of the corporation! Big difference. HUGE. Nice try, though.
Mr. Scott’s reputation has been neither defamed ,nor impugned, Mr. Dible. YOURS has!
These people may very well have been merely doing you a favor. I didn’t place them in the spotlight, Mr. Dible, YOU did. And for what? “Your” Glenwood Springs Fire Station Proposal which would ultimately have been proven invalid?
With regard to the potential Class 5 Felony: I’m sure if any conflict of interest or failure to disclose is determined – you’ll be notified by those in positions of authority. I merely pointed out sections of AZ Statute which MAY apply.
Is it really “warped and twisted conspiracy theory” when the FACTS are self-evident? I have the documentation, Mr. Dible, rendering your assertion invalid. Again I say, “nice try, though.”
My “agenda” is the following:
1) Be prepared for SFD meetings and workshops.
2) Consider and research new and innovative ideas.
3) Always remember that it’s taxpayer money being spent.
I began attending SFD meetings and workshops in 2006.
At the conclusion of the SFD/Citizens’ Strategic Planning Task Force meetings in 2007, I developed a sixteen-page booklet which included task force recommendations, statistical charts and spreadsheets analyzing and comparing fire district taxes and services, information on fire district management and fire board powers and duties. It was periodically revised through 2008.
This booklet was used for presentations on SFD given before the Big Park Regional Coordinating Council, Kiwanis, Sedona 30, VOCA and other civic and homeowners groups.
I spent many hours with SFD’s Finance Manager, analyzing the budget and learning how SFD spent its money. I became very interested in fire district issues around the country and learned all I could about them.
In 2011, SFD was looking into upgrading its finance software. I addition to attending all the vendor presentations, I drove to Tucson to meet the Finance Director of Northwest Fire Rescue. They had been using an all-inclusive finance software program like SFD was considering adopting and I wanted to learn how it had worked out for them.
On the same trip, I drove to Green Valley to interview the fire chief and get his thoughts on budgeting and fire district management.
Throughout 2011 and 2012, I have been attending the City of Cottonwood Dispatch Consolidation/Feasibility Study meetings to keep current on the progress on of this project.
At the present time, I have 153 SFD folders containing 2,958 files in my computer. That’s 2.77 GB of information on our fire district and others around the country.
It’s easy to accuse someone of having a personal agenda, covering for friends and being unqualified to serve. Throwing in words like deceptive, manipulative and unethical is equally effortless.
But I believe I have made a consistent and conscientious attempt to do my job and represent the taxpayers while serving on the SFD Board.
Many of us still remember that old TV series, The A Team, where Hannibal Smith would say, “I love it when a plan comes together.”
Well, Mrs. Tanzer, your plan isn’t coming together – it’s falling apart.
Your well-orchestrated campaign of unsupported accusations and personal attacks is not going to succeed. The mud is not going to stick. And your credibility is melting like ice cream on a hot summer day.
For example, you state that the information provided by the two contractors were “cost estimates” for the Glenwood Springs Fire Station design. Nothing more than that.
But then you go on, portraying these voluntary acts as “blatant, intentional, collusion.” Further, you call it “suspicious, potentially illegal, and certainly conspiratorial behavior.” And finally, one of my “glaring misdeeds.”
Let’s forget the hyperbole and look at the facts:
For the sake of argument, we’ll say the Glenwood Springs Fire Station design had been accepted by the SFD Board and advanced to the actual bidding stage. Now obviously, at that point, any relationship I had with these two contractors would need to be disclosed and I’d have to recuse myself from participation in the contractor selection process.
But the project never even got close to that point. The Glenwood Springs Fire Station design was rejected at the July 18th SFD Board Meeting when the majority of the members voted to approve the bigger, more expensive LEA Chapel Station design.
As to the accusation that one of the contractors has a business relationship with Dave Blauert, I asked the owner of Seay Construction about that. She told me Mr. Blauert helped her start the business by signing on as an officer. However, she also informed me that he hasn’t actively participated or involved himself in any of Seay Construction’s projects for more than four years.
So, I guess this wasn’t as HUGE as you claimed, either.
But, again, none of this matters because the Glenwood Springs Fire Station never got past the proposal stage because it was rejected. And the only thing these contractors provided were “cost estimates.” Period.
What does matter is the potential damage done by you to the two contractors who must continue to do business here.
Knowing of your fondness for citing the law, I know you will appreciate reviewing one of the classic standards for determining defamation: Attacks on a person’s professional character or standing.
Wow Dible!!! You must think your the smartest man in the world!! Let me respond to some of your ego driven comments!!
” On the same trip, I drove to Green Valley to interview the fire chief and get his thoughts on budgeting and fire district management.”
Whats the matter, you didn’t trust your own fire Chief from Sedona!! Did you think he was lying to you!!? Do you not think he as a fire expert does not exchange or gather information from other Chiefs thruout AZ. Or did you think this particular Chief was gonna tell you what you wanted to hear about privatizing the SFD amulance service which you and the recalled 3 desperately wanted to do!!!
” I spent many hours with SFD’s Finance Manager, analyzing the budget and learning how SFD spent its money.”
Is this the same SFD finance director YOU Accused of COOKING THE BOOKS to cause confusion among taxpayers to further the camapain of the 3 recalled board members you were working for!!!?? A statement which you later retracted when it was found that you were inaccuate. You in your sly way said it to further the campain you were working on knowing it was untrue!!!!
” I became very interested in fire district issues In 2011, SFD was looking into upgrading its finance software. I addition to attending all the vendor presentations, I drove to Tucson to meet the Finance Director of Northwest Fire Rescue. They had been using an all-inclusive finance software program like SFD was considering adopting and I wanted to learn how it had worked out for them.”
What do you think our own finance director couldnt fiqure that out or never looked into the software program herself!!?? She has a MS in budget and finance, you taught elementary school. Another example of you thinking YOUR THE SMARTEST MAN IN THE WORLD and no respect or trust for the SFD staff!!
“At the present time, I have 153 SFD folders containing 2,958 files in my computer. That’s 2.77 GB of information on our fire district and others around the country.”
Wow Dible!! that ALOT of useless information!!! Might I suggest you trash the 2958 files along with your Firehouse design!!! Also next time you get on a fire board, might I suggest you actually make believe you care about public safety more then your own ego. Try to gain an understanding about what Firefighters actually do, so you can make proper decisions regarding such!!!!
Mr. Dible:
Either you have way too much time on your hands or you need a lot of help. Either way, just face facts. It’s time to go. If you go now, you still have time to save some dignity from the few who don’t read these web sites.
VOC Resident