I read your periodical upon its arrival in my mailbox. I have become disturbed at the slant in the coverage of the Mehlville Fire Protection District. Issue after issue, I see articles covering pay, personnel or benefit matters.

Every article written by newspaper staff is clearly slanted towards Director Stegman and Hilmer’s positions. The only voice I hear from the rank-and-file firefighters is expressed in the letters to the editor.

Let it be known that I am not a firefighter. In fact, no relative of mine is. I have no interest in the MFPD except I want the best firefighters and emergency service possible if one of my family members has an accident or there is a fire at my home.

I did have occasion to speak to a captain of a neighboring fire district in West County who was waiting in the checkout line at a grocery store about the situation at MFPD. He commented that no one wants to work there now; it’s a nightmare — referring to the state of turbulence in the district. I can’t help to think that this opinion has trickled down to the recruiting of new hires.

Will continued sparring between the directors and the rank and file erode the services in the district? I tend to think so. I also think that this periodical should strive to provide a more balanced coverage of the issues instead of the current one-sided view.

Maybe the two sides can come to some sort of middle ground and we can again focus on these local heroes who risk their lives every day for their citizens, instead of the upheaval in the MFPD politics.

I suspect many readers of your newspaper share the same opinion as I do.

Jon Romas

Oakville