OFFICERS IN NEED OF HELP

OPEN PUBLIC SPEAK(3 minutes per person)
Davie Town Council Meeting
Wed., March 6, 2008
6:30 or 7pm(Check Town website under Council Agendas for exact time.
Open Public speak held first council meeting of every month @ beginning of meeting)

FYI - When asked about all the recent firings, forced retirements and separations of employment happening with Davie employees, the
Asst. Town Administrator answers:
"It's all part of Gary's Master Plan"...

BLOG for Article below:

http://www.topix.net/forum/source/south ... AOU1HI601V

sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flcwcop0210cwfeb10,0,4307296.story

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Firing of Davie police officers stirs emotions
Dispute in Davie turns up in the national spotlight
By Susannah Bryan

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

February 10, 2008

The town's firing of two police officers with heart disease has angered residents, garnered national attention and put Town Administrator Gary Shimun on the defensive.

Sgt. Mike Necolettos said he was fired on Jan. 9 because of a heart attack he had while on duty in May. His boss, Lt. Greg Mize, was fired the same day, after suffering several heart attacks.

The story, broken by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel last month, was picked up by WSVN-Ch. 7, CNN and MSNBC, whose Keith Olbermann declared Davie one of the "worst persons in the world" in his Countdown newscast.

The story has even made its way to Youtube.com, with a man calling himself "Preacher James" asking whether the town's mayor, police chief and town administrator can "sleep at night."

Mayor Tom Truex, who did not have a say in the dismissals, said the town was unable to publicly defend its position due to privacy laws.

"There is more than meets the eye to this," Truex said, declining to elaborate.

Necolettos, 37, has filed a grievance with the town claiming he was wrongfully terminated.

Officials with the town's police union, the Fraternal Order of Police, declined to comment.

"We're not going to debate this in the public or the newspaper," town spokesman Braulio Rosa said on behalf of Shimun. "We're confident in our position."

Florida law presumes police officers and firefighters with heart disease got it from on-the-job stress. The same law requires cities and counties to pay workers' comp and retirement benefits to officers and firefighters with heart-related illnesses.

The town administrator has declined to speak to reporters but did write to one resident angered by the dismissals.

On Feb. 1, town activist Karen Stenzel-Nowicki sent an e-mail to the Town Council with a link to the MSNBC video clip of Countdown with Keith Olbermann.

Shimun replied via e-mail the same day, telling Stenzel-Nowicki she did not have all the facts. In the e-mail, Shimun accuses Necolettos of being uncooperative and refusing to apply for workers' compensation benefits or see a workers' compensation doctor.

Stenzel-Nowicki forwarded Shimun's e-mail to the council and Necolettos' attorney.

Necolettos, who was being treated by a workers' comp doctor at the time of his dismissal, said he was flabbergasted by the e-mail. "There's nothing that could be further from the truth," he said.

The town had voluntarily provided Necolettos with workers' comp benefits when he first became sick, he said. Those benefits stopped coming in August, the day after the town lost a court hearing trying to force him to get an independent evaluation from a Vero Beach doctor, he said.

Necolettos objected to traveling so far and thought the town was trying to prove his condition was not work-related to avoid paying benefits.

Necolettos filed a claim in September to have his workers' comp benefits reinstated, said his West Palm Beach attorney, Robert Winess. The case is set for trial in October.

Most police officers who can no longer do the job are given time to apply for disability pensions rather than being fired and left with no health insurance or workers' comp benefits, said David Murrell, executive director of the Florida Police Benevolent Association.

Necolettos said he had hoped to return to work after recovering from his heart attack. In October, the father of three returned to light duty with his doctor's OK. But in November, still feeling lousy, he stopped work and checked into the hospital to find out why his blood pressure remained high.

In December, he requested a return to light duty, but the town turned him down. About a week later, he got a letter from then-Human Resources Director Mark Alan firing him.

Necolettos began receiving long-term disability after his worker's comp benefits were stopped in August. The disability payments bring in slightly more than half of his regular paycheck.

In the meantime, he hopes to receive an in-line-of-duty disability pension. A decision by the town's pension board is three months away.

Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7929.

FINALLY, the Voice of reason. Thank you


Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

It is my understanding that the FOP is going to be organizing a gathering of PD personnel and their families and will attempt to get the FD there as well. It is set for Wed. March 5 at Town Hall - if you are a resident, you will have 3 minutes to speak if you would like to... We will be asking for everyone's help in showing up for this.. Please give 1 hour of your time to help out these Officers... It is time to take a stand - it could very easily happen to you..

More to come...... Please get the word out to all neighboring agencies, friends, & family...

[Signaltwenty]

I will be there, and since I AM a Town resident, I will take my three minutes to voice my opinion on this matter.

CORRECTION:

Davie Council Meeting
Wed., March 5, 2008 (Not Match 6, 2008 as listed below)
Sorry for the error & any inconvenience this may have caused)

OPEN PUBLIC SPEAK(3 minutes per person)
Davie Town Council Meeting
Wed., March 6, 2008
6:30 or 7pm(Check Town website under Council Agendas for exact time.
Open Public speak held first council meeting of every month @ beginning of meeting)

FYI - When asked about all the recent firings, forced retirements and separations of employment happening with Davie employees, the
Asst. Town Administrator answers:
"It's all part of Gary's Master Plan"...

BLOG for Article below:

http://www.topix.net/forum/source/south ... AOU1HI601V

sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flcwcop0210cwfeb10,0,4307296.story

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Firing of Davie police officers stirs emotions
Dispute in Davie turns up in the national spotlight
By Susannah Bryan

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

February 10, 2008

The town's firing of two police officers with heart disease has angered residents, garnered national attention and put Town Administrator Gary Shimun on the defensive.

Sgt. Mike Necolettos said he was fired on Jan. 9 because of a heart attack he had while on duty in May. His boss, Lt. Greg Mize, was fired the same day, after suffering several heart attacks.

The story, broken by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel last month, was picked up by WSVN-Ch. 7, CNN and MSNBC, whose Keith Olbermann declared Davie one of the "worst persons in the world" in his Countdown newscast.

The story has even made its way to Youtube.com, with a man calling himself "Preacher James" asking whether the town's mayor, police chief and town administrator can "sleep at night."

Mayor Tom Truex, who did not have a say in the dismissals, said the town was unable to publicly defend its position due to privacy laws.

"There is more than meets the eye to this," Truex said, declining to elaborate.

Necolettos, 37, has filed a grievance with the town claiming he was wrongfully terminated.

Officials with the town's police union, the Fraternal Order of Police, declined to comment.

"We're not going to debate this in the public or the newspaper," town spokesman Braulio Rosa said on behalf of Shimun. "We're confident in our position."

Florida law presumes police officers and firefighters with heart disease got it from on-the-job stress. The same law requires cities and counties to pay workers' comp and retirement benefits to officers and firefighters with heart-related illnesses.

The town administrator has declined to speak to reporters but did write to one resident angered by the dismissals.

On Feb. 1, town activist Karen Stenzel-Nowicki sent an e-mail to the Town Council with a link to the MSNBC video clip of Countdown with Keith Olbermann.

Shimun replied via e-mail the same day, telling Stenzel-Nowicki she did not have all the facts. In the e-mail, Shimun accuses Necolettos of being uncooperative and refusing to apply for workers' compensation benefits or see a workers' compensation doctor.

Stenzel-Nowicki forwarded Shimun's e-mail to the council and Necolettos' attorney.

Necolettos, who was being treated by a workers' comp doctor at the time of his dismissal, said he was flabbergasted by the e-mail. "There's nothing that could be further from the truth," he said.

The town had voluntarily provided Necolettos with workers' comp benefits when he first became sick, he said. Those benefits stopped coming in August, the day after the town lost a court hearing trying to force him to get an independent evaluation from a Vero Beach doctor, he said.

Necolettos objected to traveling so far and thought the town was trying to prove his condition was not work-related to avoid paying benefits.

Necolettos filed a claim in September to have his workers' comp benefits reinstated, said his West Palm Beach attorney, Robert Winess. The case is set for trial in October.

Most police officers who can no longer do the job are given time to apply for disability pensions rather than being fired and left with no health insurance or workers' comp benefits, said David Murrell, executive director of the Florida Police Benevolent Association.

Necolettos said he had hoped to return to work after recovering from his heart attack. In October, the father of three returned to light duty with his doctor's OK. But in November, still feeling lousy, he stopped work and checked into the hospital to find out why his blood pressure remained high.

In December, he requested a return to light duty, but the town turned him down. About a week later, he got a letter from then-Human Resources Director Mark Alan firing him.

Necolettos began receiving long-term disability after his worker's comp benefits were stopped in August. The disability payments bring in slightly more than half of his regular paycheck.

In the meantime, he hopes to receive an in-line-of-duty disability pension. A decision by the town's pension board is three months away.

Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7929.

FINALLY, the Voice of reason. Thank you


Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Was there any medical reason both YOUNG guys were having heart attacks? Not asking for their medical history or asking to violate any HIPA laws, but such a young age. From what I heard both are in pretty good shape and appear to be healthy? Anything that both guys have in common? Hopefully the union /fellow cops/good lawyers get the job done. Good luck guys!!

I was recently told by a family member who works in the P.D. that both officers medical issues may be related to job stress and other pre-existing issues. Is that covered by your dept?

Yes Davie Citizen - it is PRESUMED that a heart related injury or illness is caused because of the job... IT is FSS 112, also called the heart bill. As long as your pre-employment physical was clear, the burden is on the city to prove otherwise. It is state law and should be covered, so that is why everyone is scratching their head and wondering what the hell the city is doing. Just give them their medical and their disability pension, and move on..... Don't keeo dragging them through all this un-needed BS..

I just wish the FOP stepped up sooner rather than waiting until the national media had to report this terrible story. Maybe someday the FOP will stop worrying just about the contract, which is very important, and intervene for its membership.

I just wish the FOP stepped up sooner rather than waiting until the national media had to report this terrible story. Maybe someday the FOP will stop worrying just about the contract, which is very important, and intervene for its membership.

So you wished that the FOP had intercepted the termination letters while they were in the mail? They're being represented. They're big boys. Both of them know what they're doing.

Yes they are both big boys as you say, but the FOP does need to be a little more proactive ..... especially in matters that are as important as this and have a direct impact on every single member of the PD !!! I bet if you ask either of the fired supervisors if, @ 1 year ago, that they would be in this position, I think they would say no..... But here WE are all are, and we need to help pave the way so this does not happen again to ANYONE IN ANY DEPARTMENT...... Our job is tough enough as it is without having to worry about BS like this....