COUNTYWIDE : Union Chief Accuses County of Blunders

Frustrated by stalled salary talks, a spokesman for Ventura County firefighters on Tuesday accused county officials of mismanagement that he said has cost the county tens of thousands of dollars.

Ken Maffei, president of the 378-member Ventura County Professional Firefighters’ Assn., outlined a variety of alleged Fire Department blunders in taking his case to the Board of Supervisors for the second straight week.

For example, Maffei said the department had removed leaking fuel tanks at 18 of the county’s 32 fire stations but failed to replace them, forcing fire crews to pay retail diesel prices to power their trucks.

Maffei said construction errors at the county’s three newest fire stations in Simi Valley, Moorpark and the Rincon have forced $48,000 worth of repairs by the department.

The union president also accused the department of regularly using untrained firefighters for hazardous materials work.

Fire Chief George Lund could not be reached for comment.

Tuesday’s hearing sparked a dispute between the union and the county’s chief contract negotiator over whether firefighters are underpaid compared to those in other counties in Southern California.

Fireman Scott Dettorre told supervisors that of seven counties in the region, only Santa Barbara County pays its firefighters less. But Edward McLean, assistant personnel director, insisted that his survey showed county firefighters make between 6% and 8.3% more than in other counties in the region.

The county has offered an 18-month pay-and-benefits package equal to a 4.66% annual increase, while the union is asking for a package equal to 11% a year, McLean said.