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A "top headline" from this news paper on March 16 reads: "McMechen Volunteer Fire Department Purchasing Practices Under Scrutiny From the West Virginia Ethics Commission." Both the opinion from the West Virginia Ethics Commission, and the aforementioned article abounds with erroneous, subjective information.
Since its inception, the McMechen Volunteer Fire Department has operated with the utmost integrity, and maintains a system of checks and balances to ensure proper practices are being followed. Neither Chief Kady, nor the fire department, were aware of an Ethics Commission inquiry, nor was either party approached for comment on such proof by the author prior to the article being published. Simply stated, the claims made are easily disproven.
Chief Kady assumed his position in January 2016, and has maintained the title of "Fire Chief" since; according to the McMechen City Charter, there is only one Fire Chief (not a City Fire Chief as well as Volunteer Fire Chief). The chief (per charter) receives a salary of $400 annually, and that salary has not been accepted for approximately 18 months, per vote of the department's membership, and per vote, no chief will accept payment from the city in the future.
Chief Kady does own a company which sells equipment and supplies related to the fire service. However, in the three years that Chief Kady has held his position, the city has not reimbursed the department for any purchases made from that business. Moreover, there is no "VFD board" responsible for purchases, the department's membership votes on each purchase made at its monthly business meeting. Items that were purchased from Chief Kady's business were never presented in the form of a motion by him, and he recused himself from casting a vote if the bid was from his business; the purchases were only made from his business if they fit the need(s) of the department and were the lowest bid. Never was his business "preferred."
The city of McMechen charges a "fire service fee" to its residents, which is a $5 monthly charge added to the water bill of each residence. The monies collected each month from said fee are then allotted to the department upon submission of invoices to the City Council at the discretion of the VFD. While the fee is greatly appreciated by the VFD, and it does generate funds that ease the burden of making ends meet for the department, the cost of maintaining the department's operations is much more than the allotment is able to cover.
The "requester" of the Ethics Commission's inquiry apparently provided them with a charter, and in the opinion released, it is obvious that the charter referenced is not the charter by which the City of McMechen operates. Also, the unnamed requester has provided information to the Commission (and the Intelligencer by extension) which can and is considered incorrect and defamatory, with little to no fact to support.
McMechen Volunteer Fire Department Board of Trustees.