Drama in Evergreen proof society is deteriorating...

[Ronin13]

So there has been an ongoing issue up here in Evergreen for quite a while now. I'll try to keep this as short as possible...
The Evergreen Fire Protection District decided about 2 years ago that they wanted to install a four story training facility on the Station 2 campus (for those familiar with Evergreen, it's the Bergen Park station up near King Soopers), aka a "burn building" for structure fire training. Once the proposal got released for public dissemination many residents blew their lid. This occurred shortly after the fire up in Conifer earlier this year. The plans got put on hold until the fire district could get a higher number of 'approval' from the residents. The whole hoopla was started by a somewhat famous journalist (I won't name names) who used to cover Shuttle launches that happens to live in the area, but not in the immediate area near the station. He sided with the anti-burn building folks, who by now had set up a "Ban The Burn Building" Facebook page. Their arguments against were that it would be an eye sore, it posed a danger to the immediate community as there would be open flames used in the building (duh!), it posed a danger to children as an elementary school property butts up to the station property and that smoke was a concern, and what they didn't say, but those of us who were for it knew what they meant, this was a NIMBY issue (Not In My Back Yard). So the board of directors with the FD decided to compromise. The building was reduced to 3 stories (equivalent to the station height), the theatrical smoke would be re-examined, and they held several meetings to inform the public that since this training facility would be at a fire station there was extremely minimal risk to the community. Several meetings and several discussions later, the district decided to go ahead with the facility and include the changes to better appease the angry neighbors. The FD even got approval from the county, which was unnecessary.

Problem solved, right? Wrong. Suddenly, feeling like they won't take no for an answer and refusing to accept the consolations given by the fire district, a group of these angry neighbors have decided to petition to have a recall election of the board members. Estimates by the county show that this will cost the tax payers in the Evergreen Fire District $70,000 to have a recall election and campaign for new board members. Even today the unnamed journalist published an op-ed piece in the local paper basically saying "we lost, now drop it." But they continue to fight the FD. It's so sad in our modern society that if people disagree with something they can't just let bygones be bygones and as that old cliche goes "agree to disagree," no, they have to fight it tooth and nail until they get their way, like a spoiled little child. I see so much of this all the time, and this here is a prime example of this "we lost, now just drop it" mentality becoming extinct in favor of a never accept defeat and fight until you get your way mentality.

[Kraven251]

Winners never quit, and quitters never win, but when you never win and you never quit, you are an idiot.

At the very least the reporter conceded the position.

[Teufelhund]

I don't see how you can fault someone for being determined enough in their conviction to exercise all available options. Following this line of thinking, should all political parties who are not Democratic just throw in the towel because "we lost" or continue to fight for what we believe in despite being the underdogs?

[Kraven251]

This isn't an underdog scenario though, this is a we didn't get our way so we are just going to vote no confidence on the board until we get one that does what we want. Oh and when our shit catches on fire and people haven't had the opportunity to train properly we will blame the FD for failing. It is a double edged sword and eventually you trip and fall on it.

[brutal]

This isn't an underdog scenario though, this is a we didn't get our way so we are just going to vote no confidence on the board until we get one that does what we want. Oh and when our shit catches on fire and people haven't had the opportunity to train properly we will blame the FD for failing. It is a double edged sword and eventually you trip and fall on it.

I don't disagree it's a stupid battle against a more worthy cause, but isn't this what democracy is all about? Isn't this what we tried to do to oust Obama?

FWIW, we went through something similar a few years ago, that was all just a big waste of time, effort, and money. A select few tried to petition Parker to annex our subdivision. The majority were clearly and vocally against annexation. Yahoo groups went up, yard signs went up, YES group sued NO group for "campaign finance violations" (related to yard sign pass-thru costs no less), etc. etc. etc. and all the NO group was really trying to do other than block a stupid and unwanted annexation, was keep Parker from unnecessarily spending $10-15K on a ballot that was going to fail anyway. Push came to shove, Parker dropped the coin and the results? Something like 340 against annexation, 22 for. They exercised their right to fight for what they believed was in their best interest (damn everyone else and the facts) and lost. At least they went away quietly with their tails between their legs, hopefully never to return.

[brianakell]

I don't see how you can fault someone for being determined enough in their conviction to exercise all available options. Following this line of thinking, should all political parties who are not Democratic just throw in the towel because "we lost" or continue to fight for what we believe in despite being the underdogs?

Id somewhat agree, but say it depends on the circumstances. Sort of like buying a house near an airport, then complaining as the area grows that the airport builds more buildings, taller, and air traffic increases, causing more noise. Hmmm, stapleton?

You buy next to a fire dept, then get upset when the budget allows to improve the training available? And to utilize more of their property. Sorry, no sympathy here. Only thing I could see is ask the department to do trainings with the facility outside of schools operating hours. And Ill bet they would agree, even before all the drama.

All these groups do is waste money and time. In the end, they still lose. We have a group fighting a radio tower to be used for emergency communications, because the radio coverage in the area is lousy currently. And a group has been fighting it. Nevermind that from any paved road or house, WORST case you'd be able to see what would look like a taller tree. But fight it they will do. The real reasons come down to hating cell phone companies, and corporations, nothing to do with the emergency towers purpose. Yup, makes no sense at all.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

Id somewhat agree, but say it depends on the circumstances. Sort of like buying a house near an airport, then complaining as the area grows that the airport builds more buildings, taller, and air traffic increases, causing more noise. Hmmm, stapleton?

You buy next to a fire dept, then get upset when the budget allows to improve the training available? And to utilize more of their property. Sorry, no sympathy here. Only thing I could see is ask the department to do trainings with the facility outside of schools operating hours. And Ill bet they would agree, even before all the drama.

All these groups do is waste money and time. In the end, they still lose. We have a group fighting a radio tower to be used for emergency communications, because the radio coverage in the area is lousy currently. And a group has been fighting it. Nevermind that from any paved road or house, WORST case you'd be able to see what would look like a taller tree. But fight it they will do. The real reasons come down to hating cell phone companies, and corporations, nothing to do with the emergency towers purpose. Yup, makes no sense at all.

That tower is going to block my view of Sandy Pants Peak, sir! I paid good money to be able to see Sandy Pants Peak from my 1 bedroom loft above a Chinese food place!

[blm28]

Just hope that the lack of an approriate training facility doesn't come back to haunt the community or the department.

[def90]

There are multiple facilities throughout the Denver area, where do they train now?. What is the real need for the facility? How much will it cost? Where is the money coming from? How long will it take to break even on building their own facility vs. using someone else's training facility?

[blm28]

The problem with using someone else's facility is scheduling and having you crews and rigs out of the area and not available for service in the community they serve.