After Joe Demme moved to Sedona in 2006 from Barrington, Ill., he began wondering about the controversies surrounding the Sedona Fire District, and he decided to look into some of the issues.
Those issues and his research convinced Demme, 68, to seek a seat on the fire district’s Governing Board. He is running on a slate with two other candidates.
After attending Loyola University in Illinois for two years, Demme left school and begin working for a company in the electronics business.
His main responsibility was to purchase copper and steel in the domestic and foreign markets.
In 1976, Demme started his own business with two partners to purchase commodities for resale to companies needing them for production.
His business started in petroleum in Indonesia, and he lived in Jakarta for a while working with the national oil company.
Demme has worked in many countries around the world and continues to do so, though he said he is now slowing down to enjoy Sedona.
His company has also worked on projects in Russia and with a few top Fortune 100 companies. Most of these companies were in the aerospace industry and automotive industry.
He said this type of business involves complex financial analysis along with superior management skills, which he believes can be an attribute to the Sedona Fire District.
He also has served on the finance committee for the Humane Society of Sedona.
The main concern Demme has with the fire district is the Sedona-Verde Valley Firefighters Association union’s influence on the district and the emergency medical training service.
He said the slate he and his two running mates are running on focuses on doing what is right for taxpayers.
Lowering operating expenses, including reducing salaries and creating a better relationship between the fire district and the community is what he will work toward if elected.
“There is a great deal of animosity [the public has] with the fire district,” he said.
Privatization of ambulance service has been a highly debatable topic in the past for the SFD, and Demme does not support doing this.
“I think we have an excellent service right now,” he said. “I do not see why we should change.”
Improving on what the district already has should be the focus, he said.
He also supports having a fire station in the Chapel area to some degree. The fire district has the land, and there was money placed in the budget to do the project, but the Governing Board voted down this idea.
Demme supports a small station for emergency medical services to better serve residents.
A few taxpayers have also broached the subject of returning to a volunteer fire district.
However, Demme believes there is a need for full-time staff, but also thinks there should be room for volunteers.
“We have very talented people in this community who can contribute their time to make this a better fire district,” he said.
In talking about the fire district budget, Demme said it is “out of whack,” and that there was not a substantial decrease this year when looking at operating expenses.
About 85 percent of the district’s budget is spent on salaries, wages and benefits, and Demme said this cannot continue because it hurts the entire fire district.
Demme said taxpayers have a clear choice when it comes to voting in three new Governing Board members in November.
“They can vote for our slate or the union slate,” he said.
Sedona Fire District Governing Board candidates’ profiles:
Bert Berkshire, published Oct. 1
David Blauert, published Oct. 1
Phyllis Erick, published Oct. 8
Dick Fishel, published Friday, Oct. 15
Douglas Fitzpatrick, published Friday, Oct. 15
