Lime Rock firefighters, our 'captors,' made embarrassing display Oct. 5

Editor's Note: This letter is in regard to the Lime Rock Fire District meeting of Oct. 5. It was sent to us by e-mail a few weeks ago, but never received. We're sorry for the delay in publication.

The taxpayers of Lincoln, long held hostage by the fire and police departments (Oct. 5) at the so-called budget meeting, got more bullying, backstabbing and torture from these, our captors.

Insults hurled loudly at persons speaking on behalf of cutting costs are unchecked. Loud side conversations between fire personnel fill the room and go unmentioned by the chair, the police and even the crowd. Just getting into the room as a local citizen of the town took forever. Let's see, it took more than two hours to get 400 people in a room, that's 3 1/2 people a minute, oh wait, it's took 2 1/2 hours to get mostly firefolk into the room, that's it!) The moderator mumbled when he spoke, drifted off when someone had the floor, kept no sense of mission, movement and intention in his demeanor (and yet, somehow was re-elected to this mighty position of moderator). My parakeet is a better moderator than this man. Oops, I forgot that he's part of the gang that has us captive. Phony, inaccurate, counting of all voting was the most consistent blatantly corrupt part of the evening.

The mood is backstreet gang warfare (West Side Story comes to mind), where it's firebullies against the folky townsfolk. The backslapping, arms embracing, high fiving of one another as the firemen congratulate each other on not having to change one thing about their budget looked more like they'd scored a touchdown or more appropriately just "pants" the kid with glasses in the schoolyard.

In all corners of the room the disregard for one another was appalling, reminding me that these, again, so-called civil servants are just the opposite. They want what they want like a bratty child and they heckle anyone who simply stands by to watch.

Big deal, you fight fires, drive big trucks and wear a uniform (sometimes). Sometimes you just wear a too-tight tee shirt with your cigarettes falling out of your too-tight pants pockets).

I understand, it's tough work being an extortionist.

The country (that's me and you) is in a recession. We (that's me and you) all need to cut back a little. We (again, you and me) all need to pay attention and see that we (yep) might be able to do without.

Not the bullies (read captors) in control here in Lincoln though, who have us taxpayers by the (insert male anatomy here). They see us as the enemy to be controlled, conquered and destroyed. Were I an arsonist, I'd be counting my matches and storing my gasoline and planning my getaway. Oh, wait a minute, I'm not the bad guy, I'm the victim here. It's just that I have been held captive for so long by my fire department that I now don't know who I am.

Susan Boyce

Lincoln