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Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011 | 5:39 p.m.
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That was the revelation at today's Clark County Commission meeting and I have obtained some examples of the rosters and posted them at right. As you can see, red days, posted a month in advance, are for sick days.
But a trail of emails, also at right, shows that the firefighters at some point decided to take these rosters home so they would not be in full view.
How this is not a conspiracy to be investigated by law enforcement is beyond me.
UPDATE FOR CLARITY: For all the brave firefighters posting below under pseudonyms, I should have been clearer. It's not the red on the days, but the red markings before the names. The emails and requested sick days correspond to the B1-B6 that is before the names. Some of those are in red, which signifies sick/call back shifts.
no only must there be terminations...
THERE MUST BE CRIMINAL CHARGES!!!
This is tatamount to:
Fraud
Unjust Enrichment
R.I.C.O
The people who engaged in this fraud need to be held accountable to whatever extent is possible. But the county negotiators who made this kind of abuse possible, and the county Commissioners who signed off on it need to be held accountable as well.
Racket (crime)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A racket is an illegal business, usually run as part of organized crime. Engaging in a racket is called racketeering.
Several forms of racket exist. The best-known is the protection racket, in which criminals demand money from businesses in exchange for the service of "protection"
Can someone tell me how this is not racketeering!
It's called conspiracy to defraud.
Just like people that set up offshore corps and trusts to help others evade federal taxes like Federal Judge Kent Dawson's brother John Dawson, of the storied law firm Lionel, Sawyer, Collins. Although don't ever count on seeing him be charged, even though he set up Cook Island trusts for a convicted felon charged with racketeering who not only uses them to remain "judgment proof" but didn't check that little box on line 7a of their federal tax return, disclosing their interest in such trusts as required by US tax code.
I'm sure it has a lot to do with the history of LSC and the fact that Harry Reid's 2 sons work there as well as the fact that Dawson was Reid's pick for the federal judgeship.
In cases similar to the above mentioned case the charge is Conspiracy to defraud the US government, and carries with it some pretty hefty penalties.
The law only seems to apply to those not so well connected everyday citizens.
The firefighter fraud is so widespread that there is no way anyone will be charged for they would have to charge nearly every firefighter in the county. Now there's a way to cut the budget. Charge them, fire them and replace them with hard working, willing to work for way less, everyday joe's and janes that are struggling in this sour economy.
Just hope your house doesn't catch on fire
Chunky says:
How do you fire an entire department? How do you punish an entire department in a meaningful way? If this is widespread and a common practice that has been ongoing why are we just finding out now? Is this common place among other fire departments in other cities?
The people deserve justice and our money back in whatever form we can get it.
Time to clean out the firehouse and hose down the offenders and the leadership!
All the honest firefighters should step forward and help us rid ourselves of the bad apples! If you've always wanted to move up in the department now is your chance!
That's what Chunky thinks!
This is out n' out Fraud and Conspiracy to Defraud the tax payers of Clark County. Good job Jon.
Jon,
At least show us a little due diligence before publishing your rant. The colors on the calendar indicate which platoon is on duty that day, not "sick" days. If you look closely, you'll see a distinct pattern in the colors - every other day for five days, then six days off. This is the county fire shift schedule Jon.
Guess you need to keep the spin cycle going or maybe you can check your facts then write a retraction......I won't hold my breath!
Don't be fooled tax payers, the same thing is going on at City of Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas.
Demand politicians audit their departments in those cities or you have only fixed part of the problem.
Another Vegas Con Game!
There should be hell to pay.
This had to have been common knowledge...
Commissioner Sisolak, you have my vote for whatever office you run for as long as you keep investigating these types of issues. Great job. You are exactly what the County Commission needed.
The rest of you lazy politicians on the Commission who did nothing about this all these years, never investigated and signed the contracts with the FD, shame on you. You should have to pay back the money stolen by the firefigthers from your personal accounts. It was YOUR JOB to protect the taxpayers and you didn't.
If you don't do your job, you get fired.
You may think the voting public has a short memory, but I believe this issue alone will come to play in the next election, and I hope it does.
Not all do this. Little ole State worker has over 600 hrs accrued, donated some of it to other sick co-workers, no more overtime, furlough, no step increases, Health Care is getting close to Wal-Mart plan, more skilled than firefrauders at 1/3 the cost.
With so many people out of work these days it shouldn't be too terribly hard to find some worthy applicants, able to train for and pass the requirements necessary to become a firefighter. Anyone who is part of this whole dirty scheme from the top on down should be fired... and prosecuted...and made to pay the money back.
after all this obvious abuse of the system and overpayment---the firefighters were given another contract with nearly the same pay and benefits---why these salaries and benefits havn't been cut 30% in all these county jobs is beyond me--we've all taken huge pay cuts in the private sector and property and sales taxes that pay these people are way down--it is very obvious they should have taken at least a 30% pay cut.
this money should be going to education, where it is obviously needed.
I do not understand why this is so hard for these elected officials to understand (unless they are corrupt themselves).
Each firefighter found to have done this ONCE, is guilt of embezzlement and fraud. Fire them. They get no benefits because they are a criminal.
Can you believe the foot dragging?
One by one, find each one that did it EVEN once and fire them one by one.
Since they acted as a group, I would argue that the contract is also void. Tell them starting next week, they are making 60k, no pension, no sick days until we work a new contract out.
Agreed. The problem with this situation is we have both an inept D.A. in David Roger, coupled with an equally incompetent sheriff in Gillespie, along with scaredy cat County Commissioners to do what needs to be done. Thank you Steve Sisolak, for at least pretending to be an advocate for the taxpayers. It really is sad to see my home State taken for a ride like this. When will we wake up? You actually elected these clowns!
Seems like La Cosa Nostra is not the only "Organized Crime" in this country.
FIRE THEM ALL! Put out an open call for firefighters around the nation, offer $60k a year and watch the lines form.
With that much time off, I'm sure these firefighters had jobs elsewhere too.
Charles Ponzi and Bernie Madoff would be proud. Knew hosing down a building now and then was part of the job description, but didn't know hosing the taxpayers was as well.
Make them pay it back and parlay it into undoing the dent they helped make in our deficit.
We could use some LEGISLATION TO REVOKE RETIREMENT BENEFITS WHEN CONVICTED OF CRIME in relation to employment. Also, REPEAL NRS 372.320 occasional sales so we can get sales tax on the firefighters private airplanes.
Gina Hall made over $300k in '08 and over $200k in '09. http://transparentnevada.com/salaries/se...
Here are local email addresses to send your concerns to.
Lasvegas@ic.fbi.gov
aginfo@state.nv.us
ccdistg@ClarkCountyNV.gov
ccdistf@ClarkCountyNV.gov
ccdiste@ClarkCountyNV.gov
ccdistd@ClarkCountyNV.gov
ccdistc@ClarkCountyNV.gov
ccdistb@ClarkCountyNV.gov
ccdista@ClarkCountyNV.gov
dainfo@ccdanv.com
fire up the tanker and let's go get some donuts.
then we'll stop and pick up some new york steaks
for lunch.
we got the hookers coming in for afternoon entertainment.
everything's fine. don't worry.
We all need to demand a complete and thorough investigation and anyone who took part in this fraud needs to be Terminated, and have charges filed against them. Period. We citizens are fed up. We have had enough of the corruption that runs deep in our government. Alot of people are going to lose their jobs over this.
these thieves have for too long been viewed as something above sainthood. now reality is here and the saints are the sinners. one thing is for sure the firemen have no shame. obscene greed is what they represent.
Surprise,surprise....I think we all knew this sort of thing was going on. Now it's official.
"Just hope your house doesn't catch on fire."
@Gaskin - That's technically a threat, right? Let me guess, you're upset that your sick-time ponzi scheme is over?
This is going on in all departments, and its time to demand action be taken.
The contract that was approved in clark county didn't make a dent in the salaries of these guys.
Demand action. Contact your elected officials.
are you listening City, and NLV??????
What an absolute scam!
Great investigative work to uncover these emails and that calendar! Wow.
If this doesn't constitute fraud, waste *and* abuse, I don't know what would!
Finally, finally, it all is coming to light. These guys better be worried, as I think they're in some big trouble here...including the "Scheduler".
Wow.
if firefighters don't get their yearly raises...
you're going to see a lot of unexplained fires in las vegas.
that's the way it works, folks!
Firefighters have now gone from the most loved to the most hated since 9/11. I think some heads may roll as elections are only 2 yrs away, and someone may have the balls to stand up for us ripped off tax payers. I'm voting for whoever does the right thing for us.
70 percent of the fire department are Mormon....The county commisioners approve their salaries. At least 1/3 of the commissioners are Mormon. Mormon's have to pay church tithings at 10 percent. You make 230,000 a year. Then you pay the church 23,000 a year in tithings. Plain and simple. Plus good old Mormon Boy Harry Reid helps them out--Plus son rory Reid...It's a nice little scam. I've known and complained about it for years. No one has done anything about it becasue very USED to be rolling in cash.
Vegas was built by the Mormons, and they control everything from the power company to the water company.
**Vegas used to be rolling in cash** I meant to say.
If someone knows a crime is being committed, do they have a responsibility to say something? If yes, then the whole department must go!
Why don't legislators pass a law only allowing base pay and no over-time to be figured in retirement? Oh yeah, also make supervisors responsible for this conduct with violations subject ti immediate termination.
I think folks need to understand that what they are doing is criminal...this is not a 'oh, how dare they'. This is a crime.
Perhaps with the FBI involved, they will finally be held accountable in a court of justice. Sounds as though the city of Las Vegas and Clark county are too lazy to do anything about this.
Clark County Commissioners act as "Fiduciary" between the Public and the Fire Fighters. They have failed in their duty to the extent they should be held parttly responsible for this fiasco. The fat monthly checks should have raised red flag to the person/persons writing or printing the check. They overlooked it since they themselves were getting fat checks and didn't want to "Rock the Boat." There should be an investigation by the Nevada Attorney General since the DA has clear conflict of interest.
Gaskin, I'm with the others on this, if you work for the FD I take that as a threat and you will be dealt with appropriately.
I feel the need to let everyone know that this is not an industry wide issue. Whatever has been devised and cultivated in some of the Nevada departments does not occur in the majority, or even a fraction, of paid PROFESSIONAL Fire Departments. I am a 30 year veteran that still does the job because I love the job. No one ever promised me that I would get rich being a fire fighter, but I became one anyway. Yes I have a second job, but it does NOT interfere with the FD.
I can also say that for each of the con men and women that have been exposed, the departments have more honest hard working members that are doing the job for the reasons I am and aren't milking the citizens. BTW, we (my co-workers and I) understand that we WORK for the citizens of our city, not the council or city manager. No matter what has occurred between us and our employer, the people we serve never felt any affects. That is what makes a true PROFESSIONAL fire department, not whether thay are paid or not.
On behalf of the honest fire fighters, both in Nevada and nationwide, I offer our apologies to the citizens of Nevada for the actions of our "brothers".
After studying the payrolls advertised on transparentnevada.com I have come to the conclusion that there weren't nearly as many 'honest' fire-fighters as you purport there to be, LVRC. Just take a look-see at the astronomical dollar amounts they were paid - ridiculous.
Wow, what a great job. You can schedule when to be sick and when you want to be paid OT. If that's not enough you sue for gender discrimination, or retire early on disability. I speak for all the people who are losing services they really need: "a big fat .|. to LV firefighters"
azsk8fan, the site you reference indeed puts to question my assumption about many more FF's.
I need to ask however, with this data so readily available, how can this have gotten so out of hand?
I still find it hard to lump all of the FF's on the indicated departments in with the perpetrators of the scam, but I will probably be proven wrong again.
I also continue to stand by my statement that the vast majority of FF's nationwide, are not scamming the public and there is where I ask for your understanding. I believe that something unique is happening in the Nevada petri dish.