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News & Features
From the Idyllwild Town Crier weekly newspaper, 08.14.08 edition.
Contractors want IFPD action
By J.P. Crumrine, Assistant Editor
Four local contractors have written forcefully and directly to Glen
McWilliams, Idyllwild Fire Protection District (IFPD) president, not
only aking him to place the subject of IFPD’s abatement contractor on
the commission’s agenda for Aug. 26, but asking the commission to
terminate the contract with Fire Prevention Services Inc. (FPSI)
immediately.
As of Monday evening, IFPD Chief Steve Kunkle confirmed the letter’s
arrival but said it had not been opened. McWilliams did not return
phone calls.
Randy Owen of Mountain Fire Abatement, Emily Pearson of Pearson Tree
Service, Jacobus Piño of Piño Tree Service and Josh
Whitney of Pacific Slope all signed the Aug. 8 letter.
They object to IFPD’s failure to use a competitive bidding process when
it awarded the contract to FPSI in February.
IFPD previously said that FPSI was chosen because it was the only firm
willing to place abatement costs on the owner’s tax bill if it was not
paid when the abatement was completed. But both Piño and Whitney
have said they were never approached to make a bid on that basis and
would have been willing to compete.
FPSI does not pay IFPD anything for the right to use IFPD’s name in its
abatement notices. However, many residents have found its work costs
much more than the local contractors charge.
“This has to be addressed. A lot of people are getting hurt,” Pearson
said. The slowing economy has shifted fear from fires to finances.
Workers are losing jobs or working fewer hours.”
FPSI also does not have a contractor’s license, essential and necessary
to remove dead, dying or dangerous trees. The presence of FPSI without
the same licensing requirements has created a tilted playing field, in
the opinion of the Idyllwild contractors.
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