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A sad step back

A friend of mine recently told me of a retirement from the Williamsport Bureau of Fire. A fireman. Apparently this individual is the latest pension robber to impact Williamsport taxpayers. Fortunately I abandoned ship decades ago. The reason for my interest is my father retired as a fireman from the city about 40 years ago.

He was a lieutenant with 30 years of service. He attempted to receive a disability pension because of injuries sustained through out his service. He was denied because his ‘union’ refused to support his application. My father eventually paid dues to these clowns for 50 years.

I made comments about some of pop’s fellow retirees that received disability pensions and then bragged about their hunting and fishing exploits in Canada and Alaska while being ‘disabled’. Because of these comments the majority of these infantile clowns refused to give my father his earned and deserved honors when he died. Only a few of the active duty firemen showed up for his viewing and funeral.

The overwhelming majority of the clowns boycotted my fathers send off ! No full dress uniforms. No pieces of equipment. None of the honors afforded other diseased members. Many of his fellow retirees attended. You see these “clowns” took out their revenge on my father. Very mature !

The reason for my letter is although I didn’t know this latest pension robber according to his years of service he was one of these clowns who snubbed my father’s passing.

Perhaps the city taxpayers should demand a volunteer fire department since apparently 20 years later the firemen still can’t be fair when it comes to their pensions. I would like to add that other first responders have the “I got mine, too bad for you” attitude. How sad. It used to be a career. Now it is just a job!

Michael Gohrig

South Williamsport

Submitted by E-Mail

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