Fire chief under fire


 


PINE PLAINS — Pine Plains Fire Company Chief Thomas McGhee is under criticism due to a letter used in an advertisement endorsing the Carvel Property Development.

 

The advertisement, which was printed on the back page of the Feb. 7 issue of The Millerton News, shows McGhee’s letter in full, which was written on the fire company’s stationery.

The letter is addressed to the Town Board and Planning Board and states McGhee’s support for the project.

"[I] have watched our membership and the attendance to calls dwindle over time," McGhee wrote in the letter. "It seems that more people are working out of the local area and not around as much. Which brings me to this point, if we had more local jobs and workers in the area that were members, that we could probably improve our response time and head count to our calls."

However, Feb. 19, McGhee submitted a letter to The Millerton News, addressed to "Concerned Citizens of Pine Plains," apologizing for putting the letter on Hose Company stationery.

"Apparently, there has been a lot of fuss and confusion from the letter that I have written," McGhee wrote in the letter. "Town Supervisor [Gregg Pulver] recently contacted me with concerns from several members of the Hose Company and community members as well. Mr. Pulver explained to me that the letter I had written on Hose Company letterhead looked like I was speaking for all the members of the company and had approval of all the members to do so. At no time did I ever intend to speak for any member other than myself."

McGhee wrote that he was contacted by the Durst Organization and asked to write a letter if he supported the project.

"I had put the letter on the Hose Company letterhead to make it look professional," McGhee wrote. "I would like to apologize to all members of the community and the members of the hose company for any misunderstanding. I wrote the letter from the information that I have received for members of the Durst Organization."

When contacted, McGhee refused to speak on the record about either letter.

Pulver said, while McGhee has every right to his own opinion, by writing his letter on Pine Plains Hose Company stationery, McGhee made it look as if the whole fire department supported the proposed development.

"People have called and complained to me about it," Pulver said. "If he had written it on his own personal stationery, it would have been much different."

Pulver said that McGhee will not be reprimanded or disciplined.

"This is not a town government matter," Pulver said. "I think he handled it appropriately with his letter that explained it was his own personal viewpoints and not the views of the Hose Company."

Jordan Barowitz, director of external affairs for the Durst Organization, said that the company asked McGhee if they could use the letter in full for an advertisement before it was published.

"We think [McGhee wrote] a fine letter that makes a number of good points," Barowitz said. "The purpose of the advertising series is to inform people about the project and its impact to the community. The more information people have about the project, the better."

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