On Thursday- KC-MO City councilman Russ Johnson advanced an ordinance that would sweep MAST-EMS into the city fire department.
Voting FOR this ordinance was Mayor Mark Funkhouser. Other yes votes came from councilpersons Deb Hermann, Beth Gottstein, Cindy Circo, Terry Riley and Cathy Jolly
This was approved a WEEK before any "public hearing" on such a move to fold one of America's BEST ambulance/paramedic services into that labor-troubled city department.
Labor-troubled as in fire department strikes against KC-MO and it's citizens in 1975 and 1980.
Funk- I've supported you through "Mammy-gate" and other childish controversies but- after this vote to dissolve MAST-EMS into the KC-MO FD- you have finally lost me.
You claim a "cost-savings" in doing this. I'll bet you a month's pay that no immediate savings come out of this move- but it will actually cost the city MORE to do this.
What will KC-MO do with the current multi-million dollar MAST-EMS headquarters on Eastwood Trafficway?
What about the many dozens of MAST employees who DO NOT live in KC-MO?
How are the different shifts of paramedics and EMT's going to fold into the 1 day on- two days off schedule of firefighters?
How will firefighters sleep at night when the ambulance in the station gets calls and/or moved around to fill coverage gaps like MAST does now?
And- most important- what will KC-MO residents do when the paramedics and EMTs join the firefighters in another slowdown or strike?
At any rate- Mayor Funkhouser and most of the City Council have lost my support- and any future vote.
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