MONTEZUMA - A rather abrupt changing of the guard occurred at Monday's Montezuma Fire Department meeting. Following a conflict between the department and fire district, nine officers resigned, and new ones were elected.
It was a sweeping change in one of the town's oldest institutions. Whether the transition will help ease the conflict or add fuel to the flames remains to be seen.
In many ways, the Montezuma Fire Department power struggle is another incarnation of an age-old drama replayed countless times. The old guard, which wants to uphold the status quo, is pitted against new blood, which wants to break with tradition.
However the drama plays out in Montezuma, many believe it will send a message to other fire departments in the county.
"What it boils down to is that we had some people who thought elected members of the fire department should do what they want without going through other channels," said President Jeffrey Dawson, who is also on the fire district's board of commissioners.
The issue came down to control, members said.
"The fire department wanted more autonomy," said Dawson, summing up a conflict that goes back several years. "The fire district felt the fire department needed to work with the commissioners more closely."
The latest showdown between the two groups came when fire chief Christopher Ramos, one of those who resigned, pointed out that four of the five Montezuma Fire District commissioners never signed an oath of office, an official document usually signed 30 days after the election. A seemingly negligible oversight, but it technically voided their elections.
Dawson, one of the four commissioners who did not sign the oath, said he was "under the impression all was legal; that because we were reelected, we were still operating the first oath of office that we had signed."
Dawson was elected to the board in 2001 after being appointed to fill a vacancy. The other three members who did not sign the new oath - chairman Terry Mullen, Donald Smith and Lynn Smith - were all reelected to their positions.
On Aug. 28, the town held a special meeting to resolve the matter, at least temporarily. Town supervisor William Saroodis and the board reappointed the commissioners until January, when elections are scheduled.
Eric Hansen - the only new board member and the only one who signed the oath, also resigned Monday, both as commissioner and captain of the fire department.
Monday night's resignations rocked the department, which has about 30 members.
Dawson conducted Monday's elections. Geraldine Helmer, a member of the department for 26 years, was elected to replace Kratz, who served as both secretary and treasurer. Kratz also was lieutenant in the rescue department, a position from which she also resigned.
Richard Smith was voted in to replace Ramos. Smith who served as chief for 16 years before stepping down two years ago, said he was "just helping out, helping to get things reorganized" until the January elections and has no intention of running at that time.
Smith's father and two brothers also served terms as chiefs, he said.
The Smith family tradition of fire department service has drawn criticism from some members who were more interested in a change.
Mike Dailey was bumped up from second to first assistant chief, to replace Charles Sanders who resigned.
Mike Leonard was voted in as second assistant chief.
Some officers who resigned chose to retain active membership in the department; others opted for an exempt membership, which means they keep their time served, but can't vote and can't respond to a call, explained Dawson.
Only two of those who resigned, Kratz and Walter Nate Janes, a lieutenant, attended Monday's meeting.
"I have my reasons, but don't want to elaborate at this time," said Kratz. She#'s "just monitoring things right now," and hoping there won't be more trouble.
"I just want things to be fixed," she said.
That goal seems to be a bipartisan one, perhaps one of the few things uniting the two sides.
"It's a small department, but a lot of hostilities and bad feelings are going on," said Joe Perrotta, voted in as vice president and treasurer. "Hopefully, we can get it back together. Our main interest should be protecting lives and property of the community. When the bell goes off, we all work together."
In many ways, the Montezuma Fire Department power struggle is another incarnation of an age-old drama replayed countless times. The old guard, which wants to uphold the status quo, is pitted against new blood, which wants to break with tradition.
However the drama plays out in Montezuma, many believe it will send a message to other fire departments in the county.
"What it boils down to is that we had some people who thought elected members of the fire department should do what they want without going through other channels," said President Jeffrey Dawson, who is also on the fire district's board of commissioners.
The issue came down to control, members said.
"The fire department wanted more autonomy," said Dawson, summing up a conflict that goes back several years. "The fire district felt the fire department needed to work with the commissioners more closely."
The latest showdown between the two groups came when fire chief Christopher Ramos, one of those who resigned, pointed out that four of the five Montezuma Fire District commissioners never signed an oath of office, an official document usually signed 30 days after the election. A seemingly negligible oversight, but it technically voided their elections.
Dawson, one of the four commissioners who did not sign the oath, said he was "under the impression all was legal; that because we were reelected, we were still operating the first oath of office that we had signed."
Dawson was elected to the board in 2001 after being appointed to fill a vacancy. The other three members who did not sign the new oath - chairman Terry Mullen, Donald Smith and Lynn Smith - were all reelected to their positions.
On Aug. 28, the town held a special meeting to resolve the matter, at least temporarily. Town supervisor William Saroodis and the board reappointed the commissioners until January, when elections are scheduled.
Eric Hansen - the only new board member and the only one who signed the oath, also resigned Monday, both as commissioner and captain of the fire department.
Monday night's resignations rocked the department, which has about 30 members.
Dawson conducted Monday's elections. Geraldine Helmer, a member of the department for 26 years, was elected to replace Kratz, who served as both secretary and treasurer. Kratz also was lieutenant in the rescue department, a position from which she also resigned.
Richard Smith was voted in to replace Ramos. Smith who served as chief for 16 years before stepping down two years ago, said he was "just helping out, helping to get things reorganized" until the January elections and has no intention of running at that time.
Smith's father and two brothers also served terms as chiefs, he said.
The Smith family tradition of fire department service has drawn criticism from some members who were more interested in a change.
Mike Dailey was bumped up from second to first assistant chief, to replace Charles Sanders who resigned.
Mike Leonard was voted in as second assistant chief.
Some officers who resigned chose to retain active membership in the department; others opted for an exempt membership, which means they keep their time served, but can't vote and can't respond to a call, explained Dawson.
Only two of those who resigned, Kratz and Walter Nate Janes, a lieutenant, attended Monday's meeting.
"I have my reasons, but don't want to elaborate at this time," said Kratz. She#'s "just monitoring things right now," and hoping there won't be more trouble.
"I just want things to be fixed," she said.
That goal seems to be a bipartisan one, perhaps one of the few things uniting the two sides.
"It's a small department, but a lot of hostilities and bad feelings are going on," said Joe Perrotta, voted in as vice president and treasurer. "Hopefully, we can get it back together. Our main interest should be protecting lives and property of the community. When the bell goes off, we all work together."
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