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HomeMy WebLinkAboutElection_Post_03/09/20107 ELECTIONS 2010 Tequesta firefighters' efforts raise concern Campaigning during union negotiations creates conflict of interest, challengers say. By PAUL QUINLAN Palm Beach Post Staff Writer TEQUESTA — Two challengers in the village's election are crying foul because firefighters are cam- paigning door-to-door for the incumbents — at the same time that the fire union is renegotiating its next three-year salary and benefits package with the council. Challengers Cath- erine Harding and Frank D'Ambra say the campaigning creates an obvious conflict of interest, since incum- bents Jim Humpage and Calvin Turnquest must sit across the bargaining table from the same union whose firefighters are pushing for their reelection on March 9. D'Ambra questioned whether Humpage and Turnquest can now `ob- jectively and fairly" ne- gotiate the best possible deal for the small, north Palm Beach County .1 1 village's 5,200 taxpay- ers. Negotiations began about three weeks ago. The incumbents denied that a quid pyo quo existed, and fire union officials said all campaigning was done on a volunteer, off-duty basis. Humpage said he recently told the union that he would not sup- port a wage increase and "if they still chose to support me, fine, and if they didn't, that's OK too." Said Turnquest, "If I can come up with a contract that's mutually agreeable to both par- ties, where Tequesta benefits and so do the firefighters, then I will support that position." Ray Giblin, union rep for Tequesta Fire Rescue, put it this way. "They're people we sup- ported in the past, they are being economically responsible, and we have a good working re- lationship with them." p paul_quinlan@pbpost.com i Tequesta Village Council, Seat 3 Term: Two years. Salary. $3,000. Jim Humpage Catherine Harding Personal: 66. Married, '° Personal: 68, Married, three children.- two children. Bachelor's Professional: Electrician. �' degree, Fairleigh Dickinson Political experience: university. :. Served six years on village Professional: Former council. Tequesta community development director. Issues: Helped secure stimulus money to political ex erience: None. replace village bridge; maintain village's p financial health; maintain or lower tax Issues: Resident with experience in rate, village administration; helped secure stimulus money to replace village bridge; hold developers to a tougher standard when considering project proposals; maintain landscaping on medians and around village. Tequesta Village Council, Seat 5 Term: Two years. Salary: $3,000. Calvin Turnquest Frank D'Ambra h Personal: 41. Married. q Bachelor's degree, University of Miami. Professional: Medical consultant. Political experience: Served four years on village council, Issues: Improve aesthetics of village; maintain or lower tax rate; fight crime; maintain village's financial health. Personal: 56. Married, three children. Bachelor's degree, University of Miami. ,i Professional: Former vice president at Horace Mann insurance. Political experience: None. Issues: Reduce village expenses and increase revenues; expand village boundaries to. grow tax base and take advantage of extra capacity in police and fire service; better fund village pensions to ensure financial health; ease burden of zoning requirements to motivate further development. Tequesta firefighters' efforts raise concern Campaigning during union negotiations creates conflict of interest, challengers say. By PAUL QUINLAN Palm Beach Post Staff Writer TEQUESTA — Two challengers in the village's election are crying foul because firefighters are cam- paigning door-to-door for the incumbents — at the same time that the fire union is renegotiating its next three-year salary and benefits package with the council. Challengers Cath- erine Harding and Frank D'Ambra say the campaigning creates an obvious conflict of interest, since incum- bents Jim Humpage and Calvin Turnquest must sit across the bargaining table from the same union whose firefighters are pushing for their reelection on March 9. D'Ambra questioned whether Humpage and Turnquest can now "ob- jectively and fairly" ne- gotiate the best possible deal for the small, north Palm Beach County village's 5,200 taxpay- ers. Negotiations began about three weeks ago. The incumbents denied that a quid pro quo existed, and fire union officials said all campaigning was done on a volunteer, off-duty basis. Humpage said he recently told the union that he would not sup- port a wage increase and "if they still chose to support me, fine, and if they didn't, that's OK too." Said Turnquest, "If I can come up with a contract that's mutually agreeable to both par- ties, where Tequesta benefits and so do the firefighters, then I will support that position." Ray Giblin, union rep for Tequesta Fire Rescue, put it this way: "They're people we sup- ported in the past, they are being economically responsible, and we have a good working re- lationship with them." p paul_quinlan@pbpost.com I Tequesta Village Council, Seat 3 Term: Two years. Salary: $3,000. Jim Humpage Catherine Harding Personal: 66. Married, Personal: 68. Married, three children.two children. Bachelor's u de ree g Professional: Electrician. g Political experience: �University. Fairleih Dickinson Served six years on village Professional: Former z` council Tequesta community Issues. Helped secure stimulus money to replace village bridge; maintain village's financial health; maintain or lower tax rate. development director. Political experience: None. Issues: Resident with experience in village administration; helped secure stimulus money to replace village bridge; hold developers to a tougher standard when considering project proposals; maintain landscaping on medians and around village. Tequesta Village Council, Seat 5 Term: Two years. Salary: $3,000. Calvin Turnquest Frank Q'Ambra Personal: 41. Married, Personal: 56. Married, Bachelor's degree, three children. Bachelor's University of Miami. degree, University of Miami. Professional: Medical consultant. Professional: Former vice Political experience: president at Horace Mann Served four years on insurance. village council. Political experience: None. Issues: Reduce village expenses and Issues: Improve aesthetics of village; increase revenues; expand village maintain or lower tax rate; fight crime; boundaries to grow tax base and take maintain village's financial health. advantage of extra capacity in police and fire service; better fund village pensions to ensure financial health; ease burden of zoning requirements to motivate further development. Flo CkI? l �r !�S 312