Citizen About Town

By Nancy C. Arcuri, Editor and Publisher

Email: nancyarcuri@thecitizensvoice.net

Fax: 626-307-9081

At the June 19 Monterey Park City Council Meeting during Oral Communications I stated I want to know Monterey Park’s liability as the employer regarding the June 8 incidents at TELACU that caused two voters at that location to file complaints of possible election fraud to the District Attorney’s office. Firefighters or their campaign workers helped them vote YES to County Fire and took their ballot without postage from their homes to be mail to the City Clerks’ office.

City Manager Paul Talbot’s answer was if they were not on duty the city is not liable for their actions.

Since that date three more senior citizens have filed complaints with the District Attorney’s office that their right to vote was compromised by firefighters or their campaign workers who helped them vote YES to County Fire and took their ballot without postage from their homes to be mail to the City Clerks’ office.

These are just some of the questionable actions taken on behalf of our firefighters in this election.

Off duty firefighters dressed in red shirts followed several NO of FF campaign workers and tried to intimidate them. The firefighters stopped at homes with NO on FF signs and harassed and intimidate the resident to take down the NO signs and put up their YES signs.

Several of these “red shirts” swarmed NO on FF campaign workers on a public street to try to intimidate them.

Residents saw “red” as the firefighters rode a newly purchased fire truck through the city streets with “YES” to County Fire signs pasted all over them. The residents believed that our staff was using our fire trucks for their campaign.

Residents were very upset to see the “red shirts” setting up their booths in the city park’s more than the allotted 100 feet from the polling places.  The firefighters were trying to change voters’ minds in front of the polls.

City Hall received hundreds of complaint calls from the residents about the firefighters’ questionable tactics.

The residents want the firefighters punished for their outrageous actions to try to force our City Council to give our fire department to Los Angeles County. They want the firefighters to reimburse our city for the $100,000 cost of this election too.

The residents were very successful on July 2 when 64.1% (3,514) of the voters said

NO to going with County Fire based on the unofficial election results.

The firefighters only received 35.8% (1,961) YES to going County Fire.

Approximate 1,000 provisional and vote by mail ballots are to be counted and the official election results will be validated by the City Council at a later date.

This was the third election pushed by the Monterey Park Firefighters and their union supporters to try to steal our hometown fire department for their own personal and financial gain.

The thousand of dollars spent by the firefighters’ unions is still be determined.

The value of friendships lost between the firefighters, police officers, general employees and residents may never be regained.

At the July 3 City Council Meeting during Oral Communications I stated I want to thank the residents who voted NO on FF.  I want to thank our elected officials Judy Chu, Mike Eng, Anthony Wong, Hans Liang, Peter Chan and Joseph Leon for their support. I want to thank our former Mayors Francisco Alonso, Betty Couch, Harry Couch, David Lau, Pat Reichenberger and Rita Valenzuela for their support. I want to thank members of the Monterey Park Police Officers Association and members of SEIU 721 for their support. I want to thank the Concerned Citizens of Monterey Park and volunteers for spearheading the NO on FF campaign.

Residents demand members of the Monterey Park Firefighters Association mend all of the damage their bullying campaign has caused in our hometown. They owe the voters, police officers and general employees a heart felt public apology and $100,000 for the election costs.

Since actions have consequences each firefighter should be written up by HR for the bullying, slandering and intimidation tactics they used to try to get their votes. This information will be placed in their personnel files and held against them.

The residents are demanding that our fire department be revamped. They want to participate in town hall meetings to improve our department. Hiring more paramedic/firefighters to reduce the outrageous overtime. Purchase more paramedic ambulances. A new fire chief is hired from outside of our department. These are just some of the many suggestions.

This Council needs to improve our current Measure J and add more teeth to it.

I have a personal interest in keeping our hometown fire department. On July 3, 1996 Frank, my husband of 28 years, collapsed. He had health problems so I called 911. The paramedics and the doctors tried to save him. Frank Arcuri, 55 years old, died of a massive heart attack caused by diabetes, cancer and kidney failure.

I know doctors and paramedics cannot save every life.  I just wanted the residents to have a chance to have their lives saved by our advanced life support paramedic service.

July 4 was a very happy day for most of the Monterey Park voters, their families and our employees.

We fought for our hometown and we won the right to determine the future of Monterey Park.