Although the SHCO is an important aspect of HDG can someone please let them know they don’t run the City and to air their dirty laundry behind closed doors. The SHCO is nothing but a man's club supported by the taxpayer. Why does a town the size of HDG need 5 firehouses in better shape than our local schools? If SHCO was truly concerned about the citizens they would give funds back from the tax payer allocation to fund CO detectors for the City, painting of the hydrants, and hydrant markers. Building new firehouses and purchasing pretty new engines is not the best way for the City’s money to be spent.

Like I commented....With all this SHCO DRAMA has anyone took the time to read about the EDUCATOR OF THE WEEK..OR WARRIOR OF THE WEEK?Two very important stories about people in our community.HavreDeGrace has ALOT of GRREAT PEOPLE...LIKE Mr."W" and our young students!!!!!!I am VERY proud to be a member of this community and even prouder to be an employee of the school.So people take the the time to read ALL the PATCH has to offer and not JUST the drama....Did you know that the High School has a ARTS FESTIVAL or that THE HDG WARRIORS have yet ANOTHER important game this week???OR....That some of OUR lcal businesses have alot to offer? That the RELAY FOR LIFE is gearing up for another GREAT RELAY? OR....are you just stuck in the drama????OH and by the way.....HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!!

Well Mr.Hurst ,
Thank You for all you do for the community, It is a very important thing,It is a service that we need in the community, That you stick to your guns on this issue, as we have and will continue to support your fire companys, It is a shame, When I first started hearing about the flags, Well that is an important issue that is a no brainer for safety, The hydrants painted, What is wrong with this picture, These are very important things in the safety of all involved in Havre De Grace or for anywhere for that matter. Safety should be the first important thing that needs to be addressed on all aspects.

Scott your right I'm not aware. But since you have raised the questions please provide the answers so the public is aware. Maybe the patch can provide an article of the company’s revenues and expenses or make the company's budget public.

I am fully appreciative of the service your members provide the City. You risk your lives and forfeit personal time that’s a known fact. But I happened to be at the meeting in which this issue started. The comments made by the SHCO Chief were inappropriate. If the City was dropping the ball then speak to those off the record don’t throw stones in the public. Obviously, there was miscommunication as is apparent by Councilman Miller and the Police Chief not being aware of the issues raised previously at the PSC. Many fires have been fought without painted hydrants, CO detectors, or hydrant markers; the solutions are simple.

Instead of continuing to throw stones turn this into a positive. Offer ways to solve the issues identified. Recruit service groups from HDGHS, the Lions Club, Boy Scouts to paint hydrates, install CO detectors and hydrant markers. Offer $10,000 from the SHCO’s budget to fund the expenses. Show the public it is about the citizens and not grandstanding on the Council floor. Show the SHCO can receive criticism and react in a professional manner.

Ahhh ... so familiar ... brings me back to the days of the HDG HOA ... going to EVERY single council meeting to make our point. As a former lifelong HDG resident ... I for one ... appreciate the volunteers who risk life and limb to protect HDG!!!! They are the ones, in fact, who saved my entire family from carbon monoxide ... while no longer an HDG resident ... I would happily suggest planting several shovels in Councilman Miller's front yard.

Kudos and accolades to Charley Packerd and Fire Chief Hurst for standing up for their convictions. IMHO these two men are a credit to the city. Gentleman,I applaud you. As to the
colloquial "Havre de Grace Finest" you have defined the term.
As to Mr. Millers comments to these gentleman, politics, the past and good governing do not nessassarly make for good partners. Things can be said that unfortunately can't be taken back. I know this only too well. In the consturction trades we have a saying...:Measure twice and cut once. This can be applied to life....Think twice and talk once. Now that feelings have been hurt, and jaws dropped to the floor, it's time to move forward and resist the temtation to vindiction, posturing and ill will.
I will also say that Mr. Miller may have been having an off day...something we are all entitled to as being human. However my past experience with Mr. Miller has been a positive one and I can say that again...IMHO he has been a dedicated and staunch leader and city advocate. All B/S aside it is time to mend positions and move forward.

In these adverse and trying times none of us can afford disfunction and resentment. Let's move on, accept accountability and consiquence and always...ALWAYS... keep in mind. Most of teach best what we most need to learn...I myself am a living testiment to that maxim.

Please excuse more of my polemic diatribe but we the citizens depend on the COLLECTIVE AND MUTUAL dedications of our elected leaders to be insightful, magnanimous and when ego affords...humble. WOW! place our ego aside...what a challange even to the most humble of us.
Citizens..take it from me....nothing comes from conflict but MORE CONFLICT. Hold fast your words...they can come back with a vengeance. Accountability and transparency in governing is a gift to a chosen few leaders. A Courage of Conviction is endemic only to a chosen few..but it can be acquired with diligence, persistence and desire. It is a virtue that once inculcated can raise a mind to heights that can move mountains and send the most unlearned to the halls of legacy however ignored can take the most learned to the pits of despair.

Let us all put aside our differences and focus on our similarities...the end result will be an esprit de corp and sense of honor that can... if cultivated...CHANGE OUR COLLECTIVE LIVES AND REVITALIZE A CITY.

HDG Citizen, I think you are misunderstood. You are correct in saying “Many fires have been fought without painted hydrants, CO detectors, or hydrant markers”. However there are many behind the scenes tactics that come into play revolving around the issues you speak of.

The SHCo is not asking for the hydrants to be painted so they look nice. The colors are used to determine the amount of water flow from any given hydrant. The city has someone painting the hydrants every day until all are complete. What they have been asking for is to make the unpainted hydrants a priority as some just have old paint and they are still able tell what color the hydrants are. In addition the hydrants in question are in an area where there are very large houses to protect in the event of a fire and the water flow will be a major factor contributing to the fire loss.

In reference to the flags, I think everyone remembers the accumulations of snow we had last winter. Finding the hydrants was a near impossible task for weeks on end. No one is asking the city to shovel the hydrants one by one. Everyone fully understands that that would be an unreasonable request. It’s not unreasonable to ask for the flags that attach to the hydrants, surrounding jurisdictions use them including Harford County. As to the cost, The Chief researched and found acceptable flags for a dollar or two a piece. This has been requested for months now and with the cold weather moving closer it is becoming a pressing issue.

Co detectors should be self explanatory. Much like smoke detectors, they don’t help us, they help you and every other citizen in Havre de Grace. Once again with the cold weather moving closer they are a more pressing issue as many Co incidents are due to a malfunctioning furnace.

All of these requests are being made with only the safety of the citizens of Havre de Grace in mind. I can assure you it is not to boost anyone's personal agenda.

I wish the Patch would require respondents to reveal themselves. Citizens should know when stupidity resides on their block.

Oh dear God. This reminds me of why I left Haddy Grace. I have known Jim Miller all his life. If he thinks maybe the SHCO should pay for or do the work they are demanding be done so be it. There is a recession on, remember? The days of Big Daddy Govt are over. I noticed that when Baltimore Co and Baltimore City moved to HdG they were going to demand money for stuff. Did you think to ask Clark Turner who made a gazillion dollars on Bulle Rock to paint the damn hydrants? What's wrong with the Hose Co having members REMEMBER where they are????? It seems to me that worked in town for a hundred years.

I agree marsha, the roles in this sonnet do go both ways and snow has been around for more than a 100 years....however "clarkie"...(isn't that a cute diminutive for everyone who wants to be a "clarkie pal"?) in my humble opinion and while doing what most self centered ego developers do well, has bled HdG for all it was worth. He's off to more furtile hunting grounds where the fire hydrants will be new and improved however I don't think he has a dog in this fight.

Ben — Good idea. I've been shown maps in existence, but they only show an approximate location on a parcel. If a property is 100 feet wide at the street, you may be able to estimate its within a 50-foot area. I think the goal is to minimize searching in the event of significant snowfall, as well as to indicate the locations of the hydrants so plows don't damage them.

Congrats Jason, you are the straw that broke the camel's back. You've all made it pretty clear that I CANNOT have an opinion unless I put my name out there publicly for people who have been threatening and aggressive on here. So I'm deleting my comments and if at all possible, my account as well. Happy Thanksgiving.

The spokespeople of the Susquehanna Hose Company are acting like oversensitive cry-babies over a few negative comments by Jim Miller. I'm sick of hearing about it. Their overreaction is proving Jim Miller's point about the Company being a 'sacred cow' in Havre de Grace. Don't anyone dare criticize them!

Bob Slede. Use your real name.

Mrs. Keen, if you’re sick of hearing about it stop reading it. No one is forcing you. It’s very easy for people similar to yourself to sit back and say what you say when you’re not the one who gets up at 3 or 4 in the morning to get on a fire engine on the road only to get home just in time to get dressed to go to work and read the negative comments written by a few know it alls. I’m sure you and most citizens sleep well at night with very little distractions knowing that if your house catches fire, you have upwards of the best fire protection in the country. You’re probably the type person who makes complaints about the fire truck blowing the siren too loud and disturbing your sleep. A little oversensitive, maybe so. But I’m sure it’s because we have people like Mr. Miller who like to comment publicly, not to mention blatantly lye about issues that he has dropped the ball on.

. Jimmy can make the comments he does because much like you he is not getting up out of bed and riding a fire engine, nor has he ever shoveled a hydrant out with 3 inches much less 3 feet of snow in front of it. After the comments that I have heard him make (and yes first hand) I don’t think he even has a simple understanding of how a hydrant works. I personally don’t think you or any of the others that have commented negatively towards us have any idea what you are talking about, However you and anyone in town are more than welcome to come and join. We are always looking for new people. But before you put your 2 cents in, you need to be ready to leave your cozy bed and go without your precious sleep not to mention your warm dinners and your beloved holiday’s celebrations, because the reality of the situation is that when the whistle sounds, a fire engine is on location within minutes in this town.

Craig Triplett
Lieutenant Division Number 4

As the granddaughter of a Past President of the Susquehanna Hose Company, I feel I have a dog in this hunt even though I no longer live in town. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SHCO??????? My God, I haven't heard this much whining since the Mr Frosty truck stopped coming around. OK, the Hose Co has a problem with Jimmy Miller. Why don't you boys just lay them out on the table so we can measure em? And quit telling us how hard you work keeping the citizens safe. If you volunteer to do something, just do it and quit reminding us. We know what you do and show our appreciation with donations or a simple "Job well done." Expecting more is not in the spirit of volunteerism, and maybe you should occupy your time doing something else.
And another thing, WHO ARE YOU TO DEMAND ANYONE BUY A PRODUCT I.E. A CO DETECTOR?????? Last time I checked the Constitution, governments are not allowed to do that. Did you get emblazoned by Øbummer's illegal Health Care Bill? If you pass this ordinance, who is going to go in the house to check if it is there? Ever heard of the 4th Amendment about unreasonable searches? Is a judge going to sign on every search warrant needed to go into people's homes to see if they have a detector? Or is Big Govt HdG going to GIVE everyone a CO detector? Honestly, where have your friggin brains gone?????

For you newcomers ----this is not the first time there has been a problem between Mr. Miller and the very admirable members of the SHCO. Just go back about ten years. That was a really nasty mess.

A few years ago there was a building on Pennington st that had a graffiti problem. The resourse officer for the Police dept got the paint and volunteers from the High School did the work. They did a nice job and no one fought. Does this sound like an idea?