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� PEQUOT LAKES FIRE DEPARTMENT 4638 County Road 11 Pequot Lakes, NIN 56472 (?18)568-8201 Fax (?18)568-7672 ��tc�uz'ttii ��.��e��u,1t1;�(�t�;-rl�r �,cl� April 12, 2013 Pequot Lakes Mayor 8� City Council members, This is in response to Tom Ryan's request for more information regarding the Pequot Lakes Fire Department Relief Fund. The Pequot Lakes Fire Department provided (as it does every year) the City of Pequot Lakes with the copy of its 2010 Fire Relief Audit Report. A copy of the 2011 report will be provided once we receive it back from the accountant. This report is done annually and is due to the State Auditor by June 30 every year. The Pequot Lakes Fire Relief Association is audited by an independent CPA firm along with auditors from the State of MN. We hold annual meetings that are attended by 2 ex-officio members of the Pequot Lakes City Council. In addition, the State Auditor compiles a report of all the MN Fire Department Relief Associations, showing benefit amounts, municipal contributions, total funds for each department and the funding ratio for each department. This report is compiled every two years. For those of you who don't know, the funding ratio compares your monies versus �� r liabilities. This report shows that the Pequot Lakes Fire Relief Fund has a funding ratio of 118%. This alone �,,,,nrs that we are completely solvent and pose no liability to the city. Nothing we are doing is hidden intentionally or unintentionally. As a council member for Breezy Point, I do understand the financial responsibility each c:ouncil member has to the City, but I do believe the council has been provided with the necessary information to make an informed decision. I am not sure what exactly the issue is that Tom has with our relief fund. We are continually told that we are appreciated for what we do; this is beginning to become a bit patronizing. I am not sure any of you fully realize the time and commitment that we put into this department and the little pay we receive. Our payroll budget for 30 firefighters is only slightly larger than the payroll budget for 5 council members. We are held to the same standards as the City's full time employees, yet receive no City benefits. The relief fund is our one "perk" for the time and commitment we put into the fire department. I am attaching the email that Tom Ryan sent Patrick Selter, the Secretary of our Relief Association. It was highly unprof�ssional and totally uncalled for. I resent the fact that Tom would send such an email to one of my firefighters without first discussing things with me. I am the department head with the largest number of employees, and the most expensive equipment, and yet I am treated with the least amount of respect. I am requesting an apology from Tom Ryan, not only to me for his lack of following the chain of command, but also to Patrick Selter for his derogatory and demeaning words. He has been provided with and has access to all inform�tion needed to make an informed decision. I would like this issue put to rest once and for all. The continuing distrust from council members is becoming troublesome to our fire department personnel. I would appreciate any further questions or concems to be addressed to me, the fire chief, instead of my personnel. � ' D t+,t. Tom Nelson, Chief Pequot Lakes Fire Department