The Roanoker Attacks Darlene Burcham

Comments: 3

The other day, The Roanoker Magazine hit the news stands with a featured article offering an in depth look at Roanoke City Manager Darlene Burcham’s tenure in Roanoke. The article displays both the good and the bad of her tenure although it delves deeply into the bad.

The article, which I believe was very well written and the writers obviously did very extensive research, perpetuates what it seems as though a lot of people have been saying for a while albeit more now with the economy in the state it is in.

While I have brought up issues I have felt the City could have done better or shouldn’t have done at all in the past, for me to attack Darlene Burcham would be professional suicide since I work for the City. I will leave that to the pundits.

I recommend reading the article in its entirety! Click here for the article

The Roanoker has created a blog of sorts to offer a place for input to the discussion. The blog is apparently being posted on by several people including at least one City Employee. Read more here

The sentiments of the spending issues is what has hurt public safety for years. Firefighters have made several attempts to block certain actions to no avail. Easily attributed to statistics (or fuzzy math if you prefer) certain people have made the numbers show what they need to make certain the public/citizens do not understand what is going on and still have the warm fuzzy feeling. That same warm fuzzy feeling that Roanoke’s Bravest have had a hard time coping without as we do more with less. All the while facing the unfortunate lack of support by the City if we are injured on the job.

I am referring to the Disability policy of the City of course. This flawed policy offers little to no support if we are injured in the line of duty. If you don’t believe me, I can put you in touch with a Firefighter/Paramedic who is my age and staring down the barrel of a long road ahead. His case is stomach turning. After an injury on the job, he has had to fight for basic rights and has had to defend his job in the wake of being cast away because he cannot work. That is an awful way to treat someone who offers his life to save that of a complete stranger. More on the flawed disability policy in the future.

Anyways, read the article!

Comments

3 Responses to “The Roanoker Attacks Darlene Burcham”
  1. Ghost says:

    Wow! Great article. I’m glad someone had the backbone to write about her.
    We in the Fire EMS department have long complained about how poorly we are treated, but it has fallen on deaf ears. Our salaries, benefits and manpower have suffered under her regime (which includes Grigsby and Hoback). They need to go! This management style needs to go. She runs the council.
    Where is the accountability?
    City employees should be respected and valued.
    This article made some good points, but there is so much more.
    I encourage others to research or tell what they know. Comment here or in the Roanoker magazine.
    Ghost

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